


Attack On Clans (Attack On Titan & Warrior Cat Crossover)

by Rowdy567



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Warrior Cats - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bears, Cats, Clans, F/F, F/M, First Meetings, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Primitive Culture, This has a rocky start, Unintentional betrayal, Wolves, tribes, trust me though it gets better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 45,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24673516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rowdy567/pseuds/Rowdy567
Summary: Long ago, predators of titans roamed the earth. Large clans of Bears, Lions, and Wolves that broke over the twenty meter mark with ease.As decades passed, the titans numbers increased by thousands, numbers that could've easily killed the clans if they wanted. The sheer number of prey outmatched their hunters ten to one, and in the end the clans were forced to seek out new territory, closer to the titans prey, the humans.What if, one day humanity were to meet these predators? Would these animals help bring down a common enemy? Or will the humans themselves become prey?
Comments: 7
Kudos: 4





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So this story is very near and dear to my heart. It was my first one and it's currently going through some renovations to make some of the chapters longer and to fix things that I wanted to put in and fix beforehand.  
> I've decided to finally put it on this site, for some reason, but hey you guys get the clean cut of an old story lol.
> 
> I'll be updating here whenever I finish combining and fixing chapters, but the original works are on other sites that I posted on before.
> 
> Criticism is appreciated, just don't give me sass on some of these names because it's an argument I've have several hundred times before. (This story is over 4 years old, and I've changed some names because I personally did not like them, but some of them I won't be able to rename because I'm attached.)
> 
> This is an OC fic, there might be some sort of romance here--I'm not entirely sure yet myself, but maybe? Pairings of Attack on Titan characters will be a thing--they'll be tagged when they come up.
> 
> But other than that-- I don't own Warrior Cats and Attack on Titan; Erin Hunter and Hajime Isayama do. I only own the characters that I've made.
> 
> With that out of the way, please enjoy this mess of a story lmao

* * *

New-Leaf, the season of ‘New Beginnings’; where Winter blossoms into Spring, and all things become brighter. 

It’s had an early entrance this year and some say that this period of time is to be praised, as their ancestors are gifting them with a early warm season. Others claim that the season is one to be dreaded; that the young are born into a hell hidden behind pretty colors, that our enemies grow strong with the sun’s rise in power, and that danger lurks within every corner now that heat sinks into the flesh of every creature.

In a sense, both are entirely true.

The warm seasons give us strength internally. Allow for children to grow up stronger, to age with the fear and wisdom New-Leaf offers to teach.

However, attacks spike far more often in warmer weather as the sun is no longer hidden behind clouds of grey and gloomy weather, blankets of snow are not there to hinder the heavy steps of the ruthless creatures our clans dare to call prey, and winds of bellowing wolves are nowhere to be seen-- unable to throw away the perfect trail that leads back to the places we call safe haven and home.

The Titans are a threat. Apex predators that rely just as heavily on their eyes, nose, and ears as we do.

Even as the chilly air, residue of Leaf-Bare’s end, eats away at the start of the morning; it’s as if they can sense the dawn of new beginnings just as every other creature. They sleep with gusto, saving workloads of energy, while sprawling carelessly through the great plains that separate the three great clans.

One should never walk these plains alone, even if the slumbering beasts are seen as targeted prey, the clans should still be wary; even seasoned warriors. Most would question as to why we still hunt the human-like giants; and though it’s true, we have evolved into easier beings, we still yearn for the taste of titan flesh.

It’s an instinct most can never smother, and most would never want to as they never want their ancestor’s bloodline to coil down into creatures who cannot handle the burn of boiling flesh or the yearn to fight a creature hellbent on feasting upon you.

Our home, our heritage, our ways of life; it’s so very sacred, so simple, so delicate.

But sometimes it's important to know more than the things that stand before us.

* * *

_“Stop your tail from twitching.”_ The sharp bite of a low whisper cuts through the silence that plagued the early morning forest, rumbling past the gentle birdsong and brief spurts of wind, _"Gentle with your steps-"_ It instructs guiding towards the edge of the trees, _"-lock your target and ready yourself to lunge."_

Under the cover of the stunning redwood trees, settled comfortably in a soft batch of sunlight, a large humanoid pushes through the low branches as it makes its way towards the safety of the plains. The danger it’s in blows over it’s head, acting more as a cooling effect than as the scent of the creature which stalks it. It wanders, completely unbothered by the shift in silences, as the birds stop singing, even as from behind the shadows mold into something outlandish looking.

Pale brown eyes crinkled in a mocking fashion as a face stretching grin curled at the sides of it’s maw, mood brightening as the plains came into view. It walked with a new fervor, unruffled by the breeze that rendered the redwoods shaking, it wandered past branches-- some careening forward to then pop against its face while others poked and prodded into it’s skin and eyes.

Though, of course, to the Titan species, pain was _almost_ an illusion.

When it comes to getting a meal, they never really stop and process when one of their fingers is bent, or if the trees crack harshly against their feet, and they barely blink when they're stabbed. They’re relentless, and stupid enough to keep going even with every disadvantage.

It makes them just as dangerous as they are easy to hunt.

_So it’s not a surprise when this one fails to notice that it, itself, is being hunted currently._

Two feet hit the edge of the trees, finally in the safety of the open, and the titan’s posture stretched to it’s full height as it moseyed further out. It’s tall, moreso than normal ones that crest just over the normal apprentice height--this one was several meters higher. Few would think this to be a hard kill, younger hunters that are new to the game would hesitate, but experienced ones always seek out larger targets.

‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall’ sort of mindset.

So when a blur suddenly dashes over the plains, crossing past the treeline and barely grazing the delicate blades of grass as it practically flew over; the titan was more than just ‘a little’ surprised when something _slammed_ into it’s back.

Like a strike of lightning, it burst through the sliver of shadows to crash violently against it’s target. 

The titan barely has time to react as claws sink into it’s shoulders and lock tightly, anchoring the attacker’s body. A tail, sleek like a snake, and black as night itself, swings around--finding balance with the sudden lurch that forced the titan forward-- and as they move to fall the appendage wraps around the titan’s ankle, squeezes, before tugging upwards.

Rendered immobile, the titan can out let out a short groan before teeth sink into the most critical part of it’s body; the nape. With it’s struggles to reach backwards, trying to free itself, the actions are futile as the attacker rips up and severs the key that kept the giant alive.

The wound steams, and the creature left standing moves to step away.

Sun finds the beast’s eyes and orbs that were once a dulled amber are turned into gleaming pools of fire, there’s a fight in them, calculated and ferocious. It’s no wonder they found themselves hunting so close to dangerous territory.

Living for the hunt. It’s the greatest feeling.

A low chuff resounds from the forest, and the beast is turning just in time to see a far larger creature stepping out of the safety the forest provides. Grey coat, dots tabby-like markings, alongside heavy scarring. It’s a tom, large muscled frame, with squared shoulders and an angry looking mug to top it off. His face screams promises of pain, but his eyes hold a certain gleam that sings praise and pride.

And the smaller creature just can’t help but suppress the swell that builds inside of them when noting the elder’s stare.

“A fine catch.” Amber tainted russet eyes blink passively as the younger presses a paw against their kill. “It’s three to one!” They remind in a challenging manner, unable to stop the grin that catches in their muzzle, “Is it me, or are you getting sloppy with your hunting _Frostbite_?”

“Careful with your words.” The warning is well met, and the younger bows their head respectfully after speaking out of term, “Though I suppose you have caught me on a bad day. Three to one sounds like a victory to me, so congratulations.” The elder concedes which instantly sends his apprentice in a flurry as they hurriedly grip the nape of the titan’s neck to haul it back into the woodlands. "I am so telling Shadowpaw that you gave up so easily!"

Frostbite, the tom, watches as his apprentice manages to drag the larger body into the shadows before they look back at him expectantly, “The Starteller predicted a storm today.” They comment after a beat of silence, opting to remind the elder of the clash of grey clouds that peaked over distant mountaintops. 

Striking russet eyes rise to the sun's position over the hills, a contemplative darkness shrouds them but it doesn’t last long as he returns the stare of his apprentice.

“Midday is no place for a pair to hunt anyway.” Frostbite responds as he moves to follow the black cat back into the woods, “You’ll practice your battle moves after the rain has passed.”

The younger beast strains to heft the weight of the larger titan over their back, but manages to get it before Frostbite can pitch in to help. There’s amusement in the elder tom’s eyes, but he makes no move to speak before they retrace their steps to find the other hidden kills.

The walk is quiet, and it gives Frostbite the time he needs to further asset his apprentice on her techniques in hunting. She’s gotten less sloppy over the handful of moons she’s been in training, but that hasn’t stopped mistakes from happening every now and then.

She can be abrasive, and hardheaded, it’s frustrating at times but Frostbite finds that she reminds him of himself at her age. Thinking that she can take anything on, even though she’s the smallest warrior in their group. It’s taken her the time since her naming ceremony up until now to genuinely start to give the other apprentices a run for their money, as she’s just never had the weight and muscle to take down one of the larger toms.

But they’ve been working hard, and the fact that she can down a titan over her own size now is applaudable. 

Her start was rocky, there’s no denying that, and she’s not at fault for it; Frostbite has to remind her every day that she couldn’t of changed how it began. But she’s grown into a formidable huntress--possibly nearing one of the bests that go with no fear-- and it’s admirable.

Frostbite couldn’t have been prouder of his student. She’s worked her tail off, to get to the places she is now and she’s earned every bit of the luxury pride offers. Of course, she still has a way to go in order to find herself at peak battle level, but seeing her take down his boar-built son was more than enough to settle any uncertainties that filtered into Frostbite’s stomach.

Unable to help himself, Frostbite dares a glance over at the younger cat watching as her ears stay locked back and angled towards the sky as the faint rumbles of thunder keep her attention elsewhere.

 _She’s grown so much_ , He thinks fondly.

With a softened expression, Frostbite is suddenly wrenched from his thoughts as his apprentice’s ears pop forward, now alert to something in front of them. There was a confusion that struck deep in her own amber gaze, and as far as Frostbite could tell there was no immediate danger to be had.

But, that never means danger isn’t lurking.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s.. _rumbling?_ It’s ahead of us now..” The younger states slowly, as if she was unsure of what her ears were processing, “I thought the only storm coming would be the one we saw to the north. Was there supposed to be a second in the south?”

“No there wasn’t supposed to be a second storm, period..” Grey ears strain to pick up on the low noise the other had locked on to, and within achingly long seconds Frostbite swears he hears the oddly repetitive roll of thunder, “This is strange..”

“What do you want us to do?”

Frostbite breaks his stare from the trees, and turns it to his apprentice taking in her eager expression as she patiently awaits his orders. There’s noticeable hesitance in his posture, as part of him wants to think that the rumbling _is_ just a second storm that their Starteller failed to see-- _but Wisdom never misses anything like this, and the noise hasn’t stopped like normal thunder--_

The tom took a wary glance towards the beaten path that led towards their home, before he returned his stare towards the trees.

“We’re going, drop your kill and bury it, stay hidden and low--” He nods towards their left and urges the she-cat forward, “You’ll take the west, touch the edge of the territory and come back, I’ll go a little farther up east-- if it’s a herd of titans _you stay hidden and if they see you hide in a tree and wait for me to come and get you._ ”

“Got it.” She nods and makes a move to go forward but is stopped when Frostbite steps into her path, “ _I’m serious, Fearpaw_. You can’t take a herd by yourself if they see you, it’s best to find a sturdy tree and wait till help comes. And don’t even think about running back to camp with a herd on your tail either, you’d kill everyone there.” Frostbite barely registered the defeated slump of the younger’s shoulders as she listened patiently, “We’ll meet back at camp an--.”

“--And if one of us hasn’t shown up yet we take a patrol and come out to find the other. _I know_ , you’ve drilled this in my head a thousand times already. I know what to do.” Fearpaw interjects, amber eyes flashing when they clash with her mentor’s.

“Quiet yourself.” Frostbite warns, but bumps their heads together affectionately before he starts to pad off, “Stay on your toes, okay? Don’t disappoint me.”

“Same goes for you, old man!” Fearpaw shoots back before lunging into the brush with an excited flourish.

Frostbite can only smile as she runs off, deep down hoping-- _praying--_ that Starclan would see her safe. 

* * *

An hour passes and midway through the search and the heavens decided to bring the spring showers forward, dousing what scents could be used and cutting vision in half.

Fearpaw hadn’t gotten close to finding an answer, if anything she’s wandered far enough to know that seeking out more would be dangerous for her seldom party. The she-cat had crossed a river, in a single stride, and she’s tried to locate the odd noises again, but with the relentless downpour she’s realized that tracking was becoming a fruitless effort.

After touching the edge of the territory, like she was told, Fearpaw was halfway back to their original spot when she noticed something off with the scenery.

Walking over a beaten path, she’s made aware of the trails of halfmoon footsteps; they sink heavily towards the front, while others seem to skid and overlap each other in the dirt, whatever creature made them it was clear that there were many of them--and that they were running. Not to mention there were the very large footsteps of titans. Perhaps they were following the odd creatures that made the other trails?

Whatever the reason, it was something new. 

_Something new that has yet to touch her clan’s territory._

Part of her wanted to continue on, to push forward and to look farther, but realistically it probably wasn’t worth the effort . Whatever was out there making all that noise was probably long gone, and every trail that could expose it was most likely left as puddles of rainwater and nonexistent scents.

But..

..She couldn’t help but think that there was more to the story.

Before she could delve further into the depths of the trees, Fearpaw takes a soft step backwards and looks back down; eyeing the beaten trail that was riddled with the strange tracks. Soaked fur sloshing uncomfortably on her shivering frame the young she-cat exhales dejectedly, watching as the breath forms a foggy cloud before her eyes, and turns to follow the trail.

Thunder claps over head, and it feels like her fate was sealed then and there-- but somehow the feeling only motivates the young cat further. It’s strange, but it’s invigorating, energizing--!

...

It was probably the stupidest thing she’s ever done.

The stupidest thing she _could_ do in the moment, even.

But Starclan forbid she leave without checking the rest of the area out, Frostbite would _definitely_ have her hide if he knew that she’d strayed from the explained path-- but maybe, _just maybe_ , she could get away with this one slip up.

_What’s the worst that could happen?_

* * *

Black molded into the graying forest, camouflaging the young she-cat as she follows the tracks out towards a fog covered clearing. She remembers watching elders train in this place, practicing battle, exerting anger and energy when they couldn’t do so elsewhere. It’s a promised place, sacred to the warriors with stories to their names--

But despite the words that worship the area, as it’s supposed to inspire young warriors to follow in their ancestors' footsteps to live only for battle, it leaves Fearpaw feeling..unsettled.

The woods arch skywards, and the clearing is displayed with heavy fog that tints with the faintest splashes of red that seeps into the undertones. The air tangs with the iron stench of blood, and Fearpaw has to stop herself from choking as the smell clogs her airways.

It’s quiet, eerily quiet, and though the rainstorm is true to it’s downpour Fearpaw finds that the amplified sounds of it’s shower does not hide the fact that there is no life that seeks through the fog.

No birds, no insects, nothing with a heartbeat seemed to coexist with her in the moment.

It sent a tremor down Fearpaw’s body; a tingle that severed it’s way down the tangled route that steeled itself against her spine. Her nerves were fried as it went, jolting and ripping out things that Fearpaw swore were her senses of composure, akin to a fire-realistic sizzle that left nonexistent burns in it’s wake.

She realized the scene before her was frightening.

_That it frightened her._

That it made everything inside of Fearpaw _scream_ for her to get away while she still could.

But, she’s gotten so far to back away now. Why would she leave when she’s so close to getting an answer? What would be the point of her staying out for so long if she couldn’t keep to her own personal word?

Faltering confidence replaced the instinctual fear that coiled in the young she-cat’s belly. 

And she took the first few steps into the unknown, as her conscious bowed it’s head in knowing acceptance.

…

Fearpaw stopped when the woods were no longer in her vision, she stopped and released the breath that had been aching to be let loose. Her paws had crunched on several things, and though curious, she refused to look down until she cleared the treeline’s view. 

It wasn’t but a few steps, but it felt like a mile walk as she finally stopped dead in her tracks and looked down; only for her heart to stop almost entirely.

She hadn’t realized it until now, but she was standing in a graveyard. 

Beneath her paws were the tiny corpses of creatures she _swears_ look like her, _the real her_. They’re dead, ripped apart and spread across the plains as far as the fog dares to hide them, she notices that they’ve died fighting.

What they were fighting has yet to be revealed.

They’re small, ant sized compared to her larger form, but they have two legs and two arms like that of her normal form; hair stains the top of their heads, and even fabric dresses their bloodied frames. Instantly Fearpaw assumes that they’re from a different clan, but the idea is easily disregarded by the fact that none of them called for their battle forms during their fight, and that there were _so many_ of them that littered the ground.

This couldn’t have been from any of the other clans, because their numbers were so much lesser than her own..

Were these creatures like her? 

Were they dangerous?

Did they not have battle forms?

Were they of the Bear clan? Or from the Wolves’?

There was no smell to tell her! No facial indications to reveal! They looked different than herself, but _how different?_ Where did they come from, what clan did they hail from? 

_Did they even hail from a clan?_

Blinking wildly, the young cat’s ears fall back as she leans down to grasp at one of the small bodies. _She couldn’t answer these questions, it wasn’t her place to do so, not when she knew so little about these things._ The fabric catches in her teeth and she rises with the dead creature in her mouth; small bits of gore trailed from it’s lost leg but it doesn’t seem to bother Fearpaw as she stared at the carnage that befell the once sacred field.

She didn’t know what threat they were, or if they were even a threat at all..

_But the others needed to know that they were here, and they needed to know that whatever killed them was most likely still out there lurking._

_Fearpaw needed to get home--_

Amber orbs flash as something sharp sinks into her muzzle, it tugs and rips but locks in tight even as pain seers into her flesh. She’s taken off guard by the sudden blur that strikes past her eyes, but is rudely snapped back into reality as something cuts deeply into the back of her neck.

Pain fills her spine, and in a bout of surprise Fearpaw drops the body and rears back as the prick in her muzzle disappears. A pained cry leaves her maw in a rough expel, but it’s choked down into a reasonable volume just in case something else hears her.

Another strike of pain coils up her arm, and Fearpaw slowly comes to realize that whatever this thing is, it's fast, it’s out for blood, and she’s the only thing living in this moment. 

Her arm gives out within seconds, and as she leans Fearpaw finally catches a glimpse at the fast moving creature as it _flies_ towards her other leg.

_“Stop!”_

Her voice is shrill, but it gets to her attacker’s ears.

They stop mid-swing, mid-air, and stare at her in unbidden awe. She takes the hesitation as an opening to jerk backwards, away from the danger, and somehow she jostles the thing from their place hovering over the ground. 

They cry out as their body hits the ground roughly, and Fearpaw flattens herself down as low as she can get while her body curls in on itself a few meters away. Pain seeps into her arm, but fear is the only thing she cares to process as she watches the creature through wide eyes.

Mud coats it’s green coloring, but the fury that lingers on his face sends terror ridden shivers down Fearpaw’s frame as she flattens her ears against her skull. --hoping that making herself look as small as she possibly would ease it’s fury and make it see sense-- 

It miraculously seems to work as the creature tugs the hood off of their head.

“What the hell?!”

Fearpaw can’t help but think of how familiar the creature is; how similar it is to her own species, how it speaks, how it’s capable of hearing her and vice-versa. It sounds male, and it sounds pissed off; the sheer rage that seeps from his words is nearly enough to make Fearpaw sink away in submission, but somehow she finds her words and manages to get a few of her own in.

“I wasn’t the cause of this fight, I swear! Warrior’s honor!” She insists, nearly whittling away as the male’s eyes bore angrily into her own. “I found the remains of your group and wanted to bring one home so my clan would be aware of you!” “‘Your clan?’ What even are you? How are you even speaking, they never said anything about talking titan.”

“Huh?” Fearpaw blinks at the questions, finding herself oddly compelled to answer, despite the pounding of her poor heart, “We..We are not _titans_ , we’re a people that hunt titans.”

“Excuse me?”

“My people. We hunt and feast on the titan species.” Fearpaw reiterates softly, her ears slowly going up, “Which is why I’m confused as to why you did not call to your beasts when you were attacked.”

“ _Beasts_ ?” The male looks utterly lost at this, and at this point Fearpaw finally gives in and sinks back into her normal form. Maybe being face to face would make this easier..

The large body goes slack, and for a moment the male assumes her to be dead; but after a long string of seconds a small, _human_ , girl moves around the left arm of the giant cat. Her hair is in a broken bun, brown hair so dark it could almost be black; and while freckles line are bare arms, her face is untouched and pale. She wears a white shirt, a brown leather vest, and black pants that tear down one of the legs. 

Oddly enough she’s barefoot, and looks completely comfortable with being so--even on a field covered with viscera and blood.

She is smaller than the man, far younger too, but it’s clear she’s beyond her years as she easily cradles her left arm. She’s unphased by blood that spurts from her wounds, but that doesn’t stop the fact that a _child_ is reacting so calmly to a wound.

The male subtly looks to where the animal’s arm bleeds profusely before looking back to find the girl’s cuts match perfectly. Was she..Was she the animal? How was that even possible!?

Fearpaw narrows her gaze at the male, and in the moment she sees him take a wary step back as the weapons clutched in his hands fall ever so slightly. “What the hell are you?” He questions again, steely eyes nearly slitted as his words hiss out.

Steam finds it’s way through Fearpaw’s fingers as her wound begins to heal, and she tilts her head at the question, “I told you. I come from a clan of people who hunt and feast upon titans-- If anything I should ask what you are, if you’re not from any of the clans, or if you can’t even call for your beast to fight..” Her mouth falls into a thin line, and before the male can talk again Fearpaw quickly adds more, “What were you even attacked by? The inner sections of our territory is usually so safe--”

“Your territory..?” The male trails off in a whisper, as if taken aback, water leaking down his face as he watched the young girl cautiously, “You live out here?”

“Well..yes..” Fearpaw answers, almost defensive when the male’s eyes shrouded in disbelief, “Are you even going to answer my question-- Eh?”

Fearpaw suddenly goes rigid when the ground trembles, amber eyes blowing wide, the young girl turns on a dime and looks into the thick fog in order to find the source of the tremors, but when a shrill cry--something resembling a bellowing deer, but higher pitched-- echoes around them she’s taken off guard.

“What was that..?”

“It’s the other soldiers..” The male realized, the grip on his weapons tightening as he noticed the girl look at him warily. If he could capture her, maybe they could figure out more about this ‘titan hunting tribe’ of people she claims to be a part of..

“ _Tread carefully, the area has not been cleared as a safe place yet!”_

The words to call for the others were on the tip of the man’s tongue, but before he could loose them from his mouth, the girl’s presence is no longer there.

Where she once stood were mere footprints.

And the _animal_ that she piloted was gone as well. Along with the body he had caught her trying to take away.

Their departure was quiet, and not a trace was left behind for Levi to follow.

_At this point he wasn’t even sure if they were real anymore._

It left the man thinking, just as the other soldiers surrounded his position, he watched the spot where the large animal had been lying and glowered darkly as his mind struggled to comprehend the shit he went through.

_“What the hell just happened?”_

* * *

Fearpaw doesn’t stop running until home is in her vision.

Seeing the camp in front of her was like a weight off her shoulders. But it also left her with a sinking feeling as she halted before fortified log walls, her heart had yet to stop it’s crazed rhythm; and if it continued to beat like so, she worried for her own sanity. The run in with the creature that looked so much like herself was imprinted into her mind in a way only traumatic experiences could do. It left her afraid, and skittish, even as familiar faces atop the wall looked down to see her.

At the side, perched on the top of the logs, two toms peered down as the young she-cat dropped the body she had been carrying so carefully. One was a muted tan, his paws that hung off the edge a sharp white that clashed with the brightening sun, while faded stripes painted his body; the other was grey, his marks far darker than his coat while his eyes a stunning blue.

Fearpaw knew them instantly, and called up, “Stormlight, Sandstone!” She greets, blinking widely at the lighter as he inclines his head and stands in a hurry, “Frostbite was about to send a patrol to come and get you, why were you out so long?” 

“It’s..complicated..” The younger responded hesitantly, ears dropping slightly when Sandstone narrowed his eyes slightly, “I need to see--”

“Is that a body?!” Stormlight gawks, and Fearpaw winces when he lurches over the logs in order to drop down. “What in Starclan’s name happened? Who was out there?!”

“I don’t know! I just found the bodies, look, I really just need to see Darkstar, please don’t cause a panic--”

“ _Bodies?_ Several of them? Fearpaw what happened-”

The young cat could only endure as Stormlight got closer, his grey coat bristling as he spoke with fury, “Where was your mentor, how did you find these people!?”

_“What is going on out here?”_

Both cats go rigid as a voice, commanding and loud, sounds from above.

Up top, a woman with golden hair calls down from one of the logs; she looks incredibly irritated, moreso when Fearpaw shrinks into her shoulders. “Your insolent yelling could draw titans in, Stormlight. What do you think you’re doing?”

Stormlight’s head goes down and in an instant he’s downgraded to a mess on four legs, “My apologies, Patchedheart! I was just--”

“Fearpaw?” The woman, Patchedheart, squints down at the younger being before her and her eyes widen, “We were about to send a patrol for you, where have you been?”

“ _Thanks a lot, Stormlight._ ” Fearpaw hisses lowly, eyes gleaming when the older shoots her with a dark stare, “I need to speak with Darkstar. It’s urgent!” She calls up to the blonde, and Fearpaw can almost feel the disdain that leaks off her person. 

“He’s meeting with the Starteller, right now. You can’t see him.”

Fearpaw shakes her head, “He needs to know this now, please Patchedheart!”

From his place on the wall Sandstone tries to pitch in with some quiet confirmation, and it seems to work as the elder sighs, “Give me a few minutes, let me see what I can do.” 

Fearpaw’s shoulders relax in an instant, but she jolts when Sandstone drops down to their level. His eyes, emerald green, stare into her being and staple her with something sturdy, “I’ll help you get the body in, but I want an explanation by the end of this.”

“Later. I promise.” Fearpaw agrees, and then moves to exit her larger form; Sandstone follows suit after urging Stormlight to take back his spot as a sentry, and after his beast falls a blonde, sturdy built, teenager jogs out towards the younger girl; together they move to trail up the slope of logs in order to find the entrance to camp.

Patchedheart meets them at the entrance, and she almost startles at the sight of the corpse they’re carrying. It’s no one she recognizes, and it emits a strange smell no one was quite used to, not to mention the irregular lack of steam that failed to billow from the wounds was also a little stumping. 

But this was exactly why Fearpaw needed to get to Darkstar and the Starteller without anymore eyes seeing-- _They could give answers no one else could, right?_ However Patchedheart seemed insistent on halting her progress, and held out a flat palm to stop the two from moving in further. Her amber eyes rivaled those of Fearpaw’s, flaring far more aggressively than the younger’s as age and experience filtered through them.

“Did you kill this male?”

Fearpaw very nearly flinched at the accusing question, and her hesitance didn’t help her defense at all, but when she mustered her voice it came out pleasantly strong and reinforced, “No! I found him like this, and brought his body back.”

“ _Where_ did you find him?”

“At the warrior’s field. There were dozens of them there, all dead.” Fearpaw answers softly, her deputy narrowed her eyes in a scrutinizing fashion, and it was then the girl realized she wasn’t getting through to Patchedheart. With a stern nudge, the younger female urges Sandstone to move and together they manage to get around Patchedheart.

But another body was there to block their path.

Russet eyes lock onto the body, and Fearpaw feels a part of her shrivel up as her mentor narrows his eyes in a fit of anger, Frostbite opens his mouth and the girl braces herself for the worse.

“Where in oblivion did you go?” There’s a physical pause as he looks down at her left arm, the one wounded and still bleeding, and suddenly all of his anger dissipates into concern, “What happened to your arm?” His tone is purposely quiet, and Fearpaw does her best to match it’s volume.

“To the edge of the territory and back- but I found these creatures’ trail. I got hurt when I found what was at the end of the trail, but I found these things!” The body wiggles just slightly as she shows it off; while beside her Sandstone does his best to keep out of the conversation, but they both know he’s hearing it all.

“You were harmed?”

“Just a little. I’m fine though!” The younger insists, blinking softly when Frostbite finally tears his gaze away from her arm to look at the body.

“Why did you bring a body back with you?”

“I wanted the clan to know about them. I didn’t know if they would disappear or not so I brought him along. What if they were an entirely new threat that the clan needed to be aware of? I just thought--”

The elder reaches out and grabs the girl by her shoulders, shaking her once for good measure, “The threat they pose is no more, they’re long dead now, you shouldn’t have brought him here!” His voice rises to a deadly bark.

“There are more out there though!” Fearpaw blurts, “They almost had me surrounded in the fog, we need to know what they are-- that’s why I brought the body!” 

Frostbite’s eyes wavered for a moment, and Fearpaw dares to think she’s done something terribly wrong as his gaze shifts to something more panicked. At this point there’s no turning back; a crowd has formed, curiosity getting the best of them once they heard the gradual rise of volume the argument rose to.

Feeling utterly cornered now, Fearpaw watches as her mentor struggles to find a solution to the problem--

But when a new voice echoes throughout the clearing, they’re both left in a stunned silence as the situation comes to a stand still.

“What is going on here?”

“ _Darkstar_!” 

Frostbite faces the male as he stops at the start of the slope, and Fearpaw manages a subtle dip of her head as his brown stare flickers over to herself and Sandstone. The two younger warriors share a caught stare, and internally wince when Patchedheart shoves her way past in order to address their leader.

“Fearpaw has seen _humans_ amongst our borders.” She explains coldly, shooting a fierce stare to Frostbite, something which the male returns tenfold. 

_A human?_ Fearpaw blinks, eyes angled to the dirt spot between Patchedheart and her mentor, her mind stuttered as her grip tightened on the body, _This thing was called a human? What exactly was a human anyways--..and how did Patchedheart know what they were?_

“A human..” Darkstar’s eyes shimmered with disbelief as he took a step forward, gaze commanding his two trusted warriors to part so he could see the creature for himself. “Yes.” Patchedheart moves without thinking, hand gesturing towards the corpse, “She found him dead in the warrior’s field, and a gut feeling tells me Frostbite is somehow involved.”

Two sets of sparking amber eyes bear down on Patchedheart, and there’s a shudder that takes her form. Frostbite was livid at the way she explained the situation, and Fearpaw was tailing him all the way. Offended, Fearpaw fills in where her mentor failed to and questions the deputy, “What makes you think Frostbite had anything to do with this--”

“Stay out of this, Fearpaw!” Patchedheart warns, eyes of flaming gold bearing down on her form before flickering to Frostbite as he moved to intervene. Fearpaw looks up at him, and for a second she swears there's guilt in his eyes. Taken off guard by the look, Fearpaw jumps when Darkstar speaks to address her, “What did you see while you were out there, child?” The leader’s tone is soft, patient, but there’s a shadow of agitation that leaks out to the bristling warriors on his sides.

“I followed a trail that led me to the warrior’s field, it was hard to see anything, but when I got closer it was like a massacre had just taken place. These things,” She motions to the human still in her clutches, “were laid out everywhere. There was a living one, but I barely got anywhere with it before the rest of it’s group started to surround me..I ran away after that, and took this one with me so the clan would know..”

On Darkstar’s right, Fearpaw can clearly see Frostbite deflate as she explains herself, but it does nothing to soothe the erratic rhythm her heart beats to. To the leader’s left, Patchedheart is staring at him through a cool expression and it seems forced despite the calmed air that Darkstar's presence seems to instill.

Brown eyes soften when they see the inner turmoil the young girl seems to go through, and in seconds Darkstar gestures for them to lay the body down as he turns to Frostbite.

The pale blonde man tilts his head at the look he’s been given, but speaks up before the stare turns to words, “I won’t deny anything. Just know I had my reasons.” “So you are to blame for killing this man?” Patchedheart accused, perking while the male scowled. “I didn’t outwardly go to fight, they saw me and attacked. What I did, I did out of defense.” 

“You might as well be sending the clan into an early grave doing that!”

“We don’t even know if that stupid omen is right, Patchedheart. Get a hold of yourself.”

“That’s enough, the both of you.” Darkstar chimes in, looking between the two in a scolding manner, “Frostbite we’ve spoken about this, I know your distaste for these things, but to think that you’d stoop low enough to sabotage it is disheartening,”

“I didn’t sabotage anything, I was seeing for myself what they would do and they attacked me.”

Brown eyes fog over, as Darkstar listens to his explanation, but there’s a firmness that keeps the other’s attention, “You need to understand that the Starteller knows what they’re doing, they have my utmost trust.”

“And I have my opinions to say that they do not have mine.” Frostbite reasons, crossing his arms and blinking passively despite the glare Patchedheart sends his way, “This omen could save the clan!” She cuts in.

“It _will_ save the clan.” From behind Darkstar, the voice of an elder rings out and Fearpaw notices that Frostbite is withholding the actual bite that makes his name true to its word. Descending from the slope, an elderly woman halts to take a breath before composing herself. The leader turns to the older woman, lowers his head respectfully, but it's obvious her attention is not on him--it’s on Frostbite.

As if sensing the oncoming storm, Frostbite in turn speaks his mind, “ _Or it could endanger the clan._ ” He states, in a respective manner, despite the strain his voice shook with. He spared a soft glance to his apprentice, noting her hesitance as she and Sandstone stood back to listen in, but continued forth without falter. “The humans proved to be dangerous when I found them,” He insists after a beat of silence, “When I found their trail, they attacked me. What happened after that was out of defense.”

“One fears what they do not understand!” The Starteller defends the humans like family, and it honestly puts Fearpaw in a spin as she listens, “Our ancestors claim that their knowledge will help us merge with the new world!”

“Or they’ll kill us all!” Frostbite retorts, “You didn’t see it, but they attacked like a swarm-- potential allies or not they heard me speak, and they still attacked! My actions were not out of spite for you, or meant as any disrespect; I wanted to see first hand, _by_ _myself_ , what they would do when they met me. And it’s clear to me now that they are dangerous!”

“What do you think would happen when a giant monster suddenly appears out of nowhere? I would have been afraid too!” Patchedheart is quick to take the Starteller’s side, defending what she knew to be right.

Frostbite suddenly looks to Fearpaw, taking a heavy step to the girl before taking the non-injured part of her arm in his grip; he shows the wound that’s still stitching itself together and stares at Patchedheart icily. “Where did you get this wound, Fearpaw?” He repeats his question from earlier in a stern and demanding tone.

Being tugged into this argument was the last thing Fearpaw wanted, but she answers nonetheless.

“At the warrior’s field..”

“ _How_ did you get it?”

There was a pinch of hesitance as flaming gold bore down into her frame, but Fearpaw answered with the truth all the same, “One of the humans attacked me.”

“Dangerous.” Frostbite concedes, “If they’ll attack a child unprovoked, they’ll attack a camp of peaceful people.”

“Were you doing something that would’ve angered it, child?” Steel eyes staple the young warrior to her spot, as the Starteller presses to pry more from Fearpaw. 

“I mean..I was moving this body.. But I wasn’t being rough with him at all!” Fearpaw explains, looking down at the dead human by her feet, “The one that attacked me was so fast, I barely had time to react before he was going up my arm..”

The Starteller released a hum, a surprisingly light noise, “He must’ve assumed you to be responsible for the attack, you didn’t know this but humans are actually prey to titans.” They inform, and Fearpaw takes the words in like a dry sponge sucking up water--but she’s still hyper aware of the tension that has formed in the air.

The Starteller then turns to Frostbite, clasping their hands together behind their back as the tom moves away from his apprentice, “It is the balance we desperately need, and you know it.”

“If they attacked my apprentice I have more than enough proof to justify my actions. I will never stop believing that those monsters are dangerous. Say what you will, but I believe in the things that happen in real time--” Frostbite gestures to Fearpaw and then himself, “We were attacked, that’s believable. Not some.. _far fetched omen you put your faith and hope into!_ ”

“You dare--!” Patchedheart’s mouth forms a snarl, but she’s stopped by a cane as it presses gently against her chest.

“Darkstar.” The Starteller suddenly looks to the male who had been quiet for the past minute, “You gave me your word a long time ago that if anything were to jeopardize this, that you’d personally take care of it.” Steel rimmed blue eyes pin on the dark haired man, and suddenly the tension was replaced with gut wrenching silence.

“ _Wisdom_..” Darkstar began in an understanding tone of voice, “As far as I’m concerned, Frostbite hasn’t done anything that isn’t justifiable. Why would I punish him for protecting himself?”

“With a mind like his, there’s bound to be more of these ‘slip ups’.” The eldest warns, “Do you want to stake the fate of this clan, _your clan_ , on this man’s past and future mistakes?”

“There’s no way anyone can be sure that it’s even possible.”

“You dismissed my warnings for him before, and look where it got us.” 

“She’s right, Darkstar.” Patchedheart chimes in softly, looking directly at her leader with the softest expression Fearpaw has ever seen her with, “Frostbite has been nothing but a cursed body, if he stays what’s to stop him from plaguing Fearpaw with it as well? What’s to stop him from encouraging his family to take his side?”

At Darkstar’s left, Frostbite lowers his head as the woman speaks, but Darkstar is surprisingly defensive, “I am the leader of this clan, my word is law, and I refuse to do anything that disgraces a justifiable action! Frostbite is my most trusted warrior and one of my closest friends, if said that he was peaceful but the humans still attacked him; that he defended himself I believe him. Fearpaw has the wounds to prove this as well, so as far as I'm concerned they're doing fine as they are."

“A leader should also keep his word, Darkstar.” The Starteller argues, respectively so.

It’s clear that Darkstar’s expression is straining to hold with some semblance of strength, but Fearpaw can see him breaking with every passing second. _He wasn’t winning this fight._ She realized, just as her heart twisted with regret.

There’s a hand that plants itself on her shoulder, and she knows it’s Sandstone that tries to reassure her that all will be well. But even he knows that this argument has already reached its end.

Darkstar looks over his shoulder, meeting Frostbite’s eyes in a pensive moment of genuine regret and apology, before the dark haired male's shoulders square defiantly. “I am not sentencing him to an execution.” Darkstar is firm with this sentence, and it’s clear that there is no room to argue, “Banishment from our home will have to be enough." His voice quakes but he still musters enough anger to grit his next question out.

"Does this please you, _Starteller_?”

The eldest nods once, and try their hardest to brush away the venom that leaks from their leader’s mouth. The bittersweet victory is met with a sober expression as Darkstar shakily inhales and turns back to pull Frostbite into a strong embrace. They hold there for a long moment, small words shared between them before Darkstar releases the other male and takes a small step back.

“I wish there was more I could do, but this is where we must part ways, old friend.”

“You’ve done enough.” Frostbite reassures, looking over to Fearpaw with a breaking expression. It’s obvious he has something to say, but Patchedheart had somehow managed to fix herself between the two-- and as far as she’s concerned there was to be no more contact between the former mentor and apprentice duo.

“I think it’s time you take your leave.” The woman announces after a moment of silence, and it’s a crushing thing for Fearpaw to hear.

Frostbite is compliant, ever loyal, and walks towards the camp exit with his head down and his mouth sealed shut. He keeps his face strong, unbreakable, resilient to the elements he’s being bared to, but his eyes sing songs of defeat and deep concern.

There're a million things that swarm Fearpaw’s mind, her thoughts were so clouded that she genuinely began to feel sick to her stomach as her mind provided her with one very clear fact.

This was her fault. 


	2. As A Warrior| Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter One Summary~
> 
> Fearpaw, an apprentice from one of the three clans, and prodigy in training under her mentor Frostbite, has found her life at a standstill when she meets a strange creature in cover of a fog ridden field. Having been surrounded by dozens of the dead creatures; Fearpaw decides to return to her home with one of the corpses--only to find out that the body, a human, plays an important role in her clan's survival.
> 
> Her superiors fail explain the role further, much to her disappointment, and it's revealed that her own mentor--Frostbite-- was the one to blame for the deaths of these people. He claims that he fought in self defense, and despite telling his truth Frostbite is sentenced to banishment after committing treasonous acts against his clan.
> 
> Fearpaw doesn't know why the humans were so important that her leader would approve of sending his best warrior away, but she can't help but think that she is to blame for his going away.
> 
> If she hadn't brought the body back with her that maybe Frostbite would've stayed in the clan, and things would've stayed normal.

* * *

It is said that no matter what your loyalty to the clan should never be questioned, else you’ll be severely punished and that others would suffer alongside you.

Whether that was a high tale, or something true, it was still a very serious subject that no one dared talk against.

A warrior should do what is best for the clan.

You train to fight, you learn the ways of survival, you spar and hunt until you can barely stand on your feet. Exhaustion is an illusion, and if you tire you’d best be prepared for backlash. 

Motivation was easy to capture when your mind was tracking the idea. Doing your best for the praise was something every apprentice yearned for; after all, the great elder warriors were always congratulated on successful hunts, while battle patrols were smothered with affection.

You fight for your clan. You hunt for your clan. _Your life is for the clan._

No matter what those words were not to be broken. Learn to fight, to hunt, to _die_ an honorable death.

And get used to it.

The safety of the clan comes before the safety of one’s self. 

Self care was almost _never_ seen within the clans; which would be strange for anyone who came from outside the territories, but for the clan it was natural to not seek assistance unless it was offered by a different person.

Fearpaw would have questioned the cost for mental recovery, the time it took for someone to heal after something unseen tore within herself. But, the clan comes first.

Even struck with unfathomable grief and inner turmoil, the girl never could find it in herself to stop and think about the terrible things that occurred over a month ago.

How Frostbite was blindsided by the trusted, and forcefully banished by his best friend. How _she_ betrayed him, how he was pinned into a metaphorical corner and _forced_ to take the punishment because she screwed up.

On that day, Fearpaw felt part of herself break and leave with Frostbite. And whatever it was it never came back despite her efforts to make things seem, in some semblance, normal.

They didn’t go back to normal, there was no way that they could anyways. She saw what happened to her mentor, how he was cornered and forced to speak the truth, so why should things just fall back into natural order when there’s obviously something going on?

The Starteller was hiding something, and Fearpaw was desperate to get the reason as to why these _humans_ were so important.

Fearpaw can’t even remember if she cried when the realization of Frostbite’s inability to return home, struck. Had she mourned for him properly? In the way he would’ve wanted her to?

A question she couldn’t answer. Not now at least, maybe never..

Though, even if _she_ didn’t react as expected, those around her did.

Frostbite’s mate, Pineclaw, mourned for days-- at this point Fearpaw still thinks that she hasn’t stopped mourning over his absence. The poor woman hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye, and when she was told of the banishment her eldest son was the only one to take her into his arms and sympathize while she cried. 

Fearpaw had been close with the woman, as she acted more like a mother to her than her actual mother, and as Frostbite’s apprentice it basically solidified the fact that they’d adopted her into their family; lack of blood relations be damned.

So, when Pineclaw refused to take care of herself; Fearpaw and Shadowpaw, _her son_ , both took it upon themselves to see that she was fed and rested--most importantly, _never alone_.

It’s worked so far; but the pain of losing a bound mate was heart wrenching, apparently; and seeing Pineclaw in pain only seemed to wound Fearpaw more. She was easily the one to take the news the hardest, but Darkstar was a surprisingly close second.

It was obvious that both he and Frostbite had been friends since their kit-days, that they’d grown up together like brothers. He’s becoming more and more quiet as the days come and go, and it strikes Fearpaw unsettled as she sees him close off to the world. Frostbite was someone he trusted, someone he loved, having that ripped away-- _ripping it away yourself_ \-- it couldn’t be easy.

But Fearpaw lost an important figure that day, she’s been without one ever since-- _even if her comrades try so hard to reassure her that things will be okay..Deep down the girl knows that nothing will ever be the same without Frostbite there._

And it _hurts_!

It hurts so much that Fearpaw is so sure that she’s grown numb to it, that she can’t feel much of anything else because of how stupid she feels! Starclan must love to see her miserable, and lost, because it’s _all_ she’s been able to feel for the past month.

She was tired from all the sleepless nights, and mornings didn’t mull over well with the stand-in mentors; especially when she woke late. But could they blame her? Was there even a reason to blame her? At night she was plagued with dreams that made her relive that awful day, her own mind _forced_ her to stare at Frostbite’s face as he lost the battle against the Starteller.

All of it was just, _guilt and regret!_

“Fearpaw?”

How could she do that to him? How could she be so stupid?! Frostbite must hate her, _he has to at this point!_

“Hey,” A gentle hand placed itself on Fearpaw’s shoulder, freeing it’s rigid nature into something caught and cornered. Doused pools of fire peek over the same shoulder, questioning the palm that attached itself to her, before they lifted up to meet the gentle blue orbs of a boy she dared to call her friend.

“Shadowpaw..” Her voice is sluggish, but it greets him with some fraction of fondness, and the boy smiles thinly. His eyes are tired, and his hair is tousled, pointing out that he probably woke up only minutes before shaking Fearpaw from her stupor. 

But as the sun bared down through the linens, striking the girl in the eyes, Fearpaw finds herself questioning the actual time.

Alarm threaded into the exhaustion, however when Shadowpaw blinks reassuringly her heart’s pace was settled. “We’ve got a couple of hours before sunhigh,” He points out, “Our mentors are giving us the morning off, but at sunhigh we’re all expected to be at the training fields.”

“When did you hear this?” Fearpaw questioned, inhaling as she moved to sit up.

“A minute ago. Frogstep stopped by to tell us. Better than Oilfur barging through the linens just to tell us that we’re lazy, I’ll say.”

“He wouldn’t be wrong. Some of us are pretty lazy.” A mirthless voice yawns, aimed at Fearpaw, but it’s ignored by the other two children as a raven haired boy rises from his pile of blankets. He’s disheveled, and exhausted looking, but despite his off start he found it within himself to poke and prod where he could.

“Right.” Fearpaw dismissed, sorely sitting up from the bed of furs on the ground; the one she’d covered up with that night had been tossed away as the night terrors plagued her mind-- _she hoped she hadn’t disturbed anyone last night because of it._

“What’s today's agenda?” 

Shadowpaw shrugged halfheartedly, “Does it matter?” Striking blue eyes turn to meet with the questioning stare of his best friend, “It’s the training field, with the younger apprentices. I’m sure one of us is going to be a punching bag.”

Fearpaw promptly ignored the two boys as they began to bicker between each other, finding it better to pass her time by throwing on actual clothes while also tying her knotted hair up. Her ears twitched when the more bitter of the two questioned the events for today, but barely paid attention as she folded her blanket on the bed of furs.

“Of course it matters.” The raven haired male looked briefly at Fearpaw, unbothered by her changing, more interested in what she had to say on the matter, “We’re all nearing the ten moon mark, it’s almost time for us to be assessed for warrior-ship.” He said a matter-a-factly, “Don’t you think this has something to do with that, Fearpaw?”

His gaze trails down her pale skin and locks onto the marks that tethered her body to her beast’s; for a moment he thinks them to be scars, but his mind is quick to correct himself as the defined bags underneath the girl’s eyes were any hint.

She was exhausted, and healing even the slightest of things took every ounce of energy she had.

He didn’t get a chance to properly process the information, as Fearpaw slid a _somewhat_ clean shirt over her head before looking back at the toms, “Camopaw,” She began, blinking in a jaded manner, her fingers working deftly on the leather vest she almost always wore, “Even if this was an assessment, there’s no way we could train more in order to prepare more for it; s’far as I’m concerned we’ve learned enough.”

“Of course you would say that.” Green eyes tint with mirth, and Shadowpaw’s face quickly falls into a warning for his friend's next choice of words, “You’re just perfect, being the apprentice of a prodigy _and a leader_ _,_ aren’t you?”

Fearpaw had nothing to say to that, knowing better than to do so at this point, (As far as Camopaw was concerned, everything she said could be used against her.) but Shadowpaw had different ideas, “You can’t just say things like that, Camopaw. I was the son of that prodigy, if anything you should be saying those things to me!”

“You didn’t train under Frostbite, or Darkstar, _she_ has--” Camopaw argues, eyes envious, “She probably feels perfectly capable of defending herself.”

“Just as you are.” Fearpaw chimes, mussing up her hair before moving to tying it back. She shouldn’t say anything, _really she shouldn't_ , but her exhaustion was easy to filter into defense--which easily shifted into anger for unknowing targets. “The only advantage I have is of age, since I was born a few days before you. It doesn’t mean anything, Camopaw. Our skill level is practically the same, because we were apprenticed on the same day.”

“Right!” Shadowpaw tried to help, but the glare that Camopaw sent both their ways was ugly. But even he knew sense in the sentence, and decided silence was his best option.

“Gosh, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you guys are like a bunch of withering elders with the way you look!” A voice chuckles from the linen entrance, and Fearpaw rolls her eyes as a young girl steps inside with bright amber eyes shining with humor.

“Good morning to you as well, Rosepaw.” Shadowpaw greets, being the only one to do so out of their little trio, “How did night hunting treat you?”

“I managed.” The girl shrugged, tampering her cockiness for a feigned nonchalant expression, while tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder just as Fearpaw finished tying up her own bun, “You should see Tinypaw though, he’s absolutely wrecked!” Rosepaw nearly snickered, “Even Fearpaw was exhausted by the time we got back!”

“I still am.” The brunette girl quips, but there wasn’t any bite in her words. “Not everyone has endless energy like you, Rosepaw.” 

A fond smile takes Shadowpaw’s face, but it leaves just as quickly when one of his brothers enters the apprentice den.

Roguepaw, a dirty blonde boy with angry brown eyes and an explosive attitude to back it up, takes one lingering look around the room before huffing to himself and going into one of the corners to grab his items, “Don’t stop the conversation on my behalf, please.” His voice rasps near the end and Shadowpaw watches him closely.

“You’re up early.”

“Yeah? ‘Bout time you noticed.” Roguepaw grunted, “Got pulled into a morning hunt with Hawkflight, he wanted to see me take on a twelve meter with Blackpaw.”

“Did you guys manage?” Rosepaw questions, genuinely curious, “Tinypaw and I were tasked with tracking titans last night while Darkstar and Fearpaw hunted.” 

Shadowpaw turned, “How did that go, anyways?” He questioned, allowing the conversation behind him to differ between the two younger apprentices. Fearpaw shrugged, “He was quiet, I was quiet. That’s our usual conversation unless he has something to say.”

“You never tried...talking--?”

“ _Nope_.” Fearpaw dismissed, pushing past the blonde to get around to Rosepaw. She knew that he made a face, but at this point his opinion on the matter was old news; Fearpaw paused briefly by the younger girl, who was still engaged in a conversation with Roguepaw, but set aside her next words as the linen curtain opened once more.

“Good morning!”

“Sandstone.” Fearpaw’s voice is level, but the teen knew that deep down she was happy to see him.

“Gotta borrow the older apprentices for a moment, is that alright?” Dashing green eyes flicker to each face, before Shadowpaw stands and nods with Camopaw slowly getting up after him. “Oh? Can I come?” Rosepaw questions, interrupting Rogepaw who was halfway through a sentence.

Her mentor looked down in a disapproving manner, and Rosepaw merely huffed before looking back at the blonde boy who looked absolutely livid for being ignored so easily. 

Satisfied, Sandstone turns and gestures for the three to follow behind.

A few paces outside of the den, Sandstone turns and leads the rest of the group towards the healer’s den where a young ravenette girl stood waiting patiently, “About time!” Her dull eyes flashed but her voice was toned down to something quiet, “You’re lucky Ashfeather has found herself busy training Riverpaw.” 

“Good morning, Nightpaw.” Sandstone smiled, “Glad to see you as lively as ever, thank you for meeting us.”

“Like I would miss our morning meetings, they’re far too interesting to ignore,” Nightpaw huffed, looking over at the other apprentices in a scrutinizing fashion before she locked solely on Fearpaw’s slouched form, “you look awful.” 

Pools over doused fire swirled with old humor, and Fearpaw cracks a small smile as the healer’s apprentice points out the obvious, “I feel awful, thank you for noticing.” 

“She was on the night hunt patrol last night.” Shadowpaw explains worriedly, 

“Darkstar had us all over the territory last night.” Camopaw added, “We got back and I never saw that titan-brain go to sleep.”

“At least I didn’t walk into a tree last night, Camopaw.” Fearpaw scoffs, bitter that he outed her so quickly. 

“ _Oi!_ ”

“Hold your tongue.” Sandstone warns and the group falls silent. Sparking green eyes shift over just in time to see the morning patrol move past through the middle of the clearing. It was a larger group that was leaving, and surprisingly Darkstar was at its lead. 

Fearpaw watched the group suspiciously, eyeing their numbers with a keen sense, but she was more interested in what Sandstone had to say next.

“Darkstar’s leading a large patrol to the southern borders.”

“South?” Fearpaw mumbles, keeping her voice low, “There’s nothing that way; nothing that would irk a sizable patrol, that is..”

“Darkstar obviously disagrees.” Camopaw pipes in; watching curiously as his father, Breezebillow, stops short of the camp exit to stare pointedly back at him. _A warning not to follow_. “And it’s probably in our best interests to not follow after them, lest we want our tail’s broken.”

“And our warrior names will be delayed as well.” Shadowpaw adds, unhelpfully but brightly. 

“You don’t know what they’re doing, do you?” Nightpaw questions through her peers comments, blinking softly when the older blonde shakes his head.

“If I knew, I’d tell you.” Sandstone shrugs, having glanced at Fearpaw for a reaction but the girl revealed nothing. He easily regains lost attention with his next words, “I just wanted to see if you guys saw anything last night that would’ve irked him the wrong way; and to warn you just in case we were being invaded.”

“ _‘_ _Invaded_ _’_ ,” Camopaw parrots, “You think the Starteller foretold a titan herd coming this way? Darkstar would’ve warned the entire clan by now-- _he would’ve evacuated--_ ” A hand plants itself on the boy’s shoulder, and he relaxes slightly when Shadowpaw squeezes gently.

It goes quiet, and Sandstone quietly clarifies the fact that he’s been in the dark, “Again, I don’t know. It could be anything, really.”

“Darkstar was quiet last night,” Fearpaw offers, “Probably more so than usual. He might have known something before-hand.”

“Or they could be after Frostbite’s trail.” Nightpaw reveals grimly, “They’ve been finding tracks of him recently when patrolling the borders, the Starteller might’ve finally put their foot down and ordered his execution.”

Fearpaw instantly bristled then, eyes swirling with dark intentions that were honestly a little frightening to see, but Sandstone was quick to ease her discomfort, “I doubt that’s the case. Darkstar would be far more upset if _that_ was happening, not to mention they had Pineclaw in there with them--she definitely wouldn’t have approved without a fight. Let’s not jump to any crazy conclusions before we know the full story, for all we know they could just be patrolling after seeing a large titan herd.”

The fire in Fearpaw’s eyes dimmed, if only a little; but Sandstone concluded that would be the end of her episode. He spares her a sympathetic look, but it falters when she glances skyward, “It’s nearly sunhigh, we should disband before our mentors come looking for us; Sandstone, if you can, will you try to find out what Darkstar is trying to do?”

“I’ll try, but the older warriors may not humor me.” The teen shrugs before getting to his feet, “I’ll see you all at training.” He then waves before taking his leave and walking off.

As he leaves, Fearpaw is next to get to her feet. “We need to be careful with what we plan; even if it is just to keep ourselves on the same page as the older warriors and higher ranks. If the Starteller finds out that we’ve been trying to figure out why Darkstar hasn’t been sharing his plans with the rest of the clan, we could be in trouble.”

“You must still think that he’s staying quiet about that omen, right?” Nightpaw questions, and Fearpaw nods firmly, “Frostbite spoke against it before he was banished, so whatever it is, it’s important to the Starteller. I wouldn’t put it past them to accuse a few apprentices of treason if we questioned it.”

“This is a mess.” Shadowpaw muttered, watching as Camopaw huffed to himself and stood, “What makes you think that this ‘omen’, if there is one that is, is actually worth anything? They’ll go out, find themselves stumped, and come back disappointed--end of story.” 

“The Starteller seemed pretty serious about this one, Camopaw.” Fearpaw admits, “And they never get that way unless the clan is in danger. If they’ve sent Darkstar personally, it’s got to mean something--”

“Or Darkstar just wants to go patrol something because he’s bored! It’s not the end of the world when our leader just happens to go out of camp to do something with his comrades!” Camopaw snaps, earning a very surprised stare from the brunette girl, “Maybe you’re just desperate to get your mentor back, after he clearly did something wrong against the Starteller and the clan! Or, how about, _you’re afraid that you're next on the banishment list?_ I bet they’re already talking about it, seeing as you're practically losing your mind to paranoia!”

“Oi!” Shadowpaw is on his feet instantly, shoving the other boy and stopping his rant, “What in Starclan’s name is wrong with you, Camopaw!? No one has done anything wrong as far as I’m concerned, all of this is just a..misunderstanding! Two sides clashing together--”

Blue eyes, desperate in color, turn to the brunette girl in order to apologize; but Shadowpaw nearly chokes as Fearpaw shoves past both him and Camopaw so she could get out of the corner she was being backed into. Nightpaw watched helplessly as the other female leaves without a word, and Camopaw has the audacity to mock the girl as she leaves,

“That’s right, do nothing like you always do! It makes a big difference, Fearpaw!”

A sharp blow to his side halted his shout, and Camopaw suddenly found himself at the mercy of an angry ravenette girl.

Nightpaw was absolutely livid; and as she scolded the male on his insufferable temperament and lack of empathy, she sends Shadowpaw after the fuming brunette. 

The blonde warily agrees to go.

But to no avail.

No one sees Fearpaw until training starts.

* * *

When the tom’s next saw Fearpaw, she was in the middle of a sparring session with one of the younger apprentices for training. 

And judging by the look on Sandstone’s face as he watched from the sidelines with the others, Fearpaw hadn’t been going easy on the younger cat. 

The tom, Blackpaw was his name, was practically being flung around as Fearpaw had her way with him; obviously she was getting pent up anger out but Blackpaw hadn’t the slightest clue as to why one of the older, _usually nicer,_ sparring partners was beating him to an absolute pulp.

By the time Shadowpaw and Camopaw had settled in to wait for their turn, Fearpaw had the younger tom by the scruff of his neck and pinned down. Her eyes were focused, trained solely on the tom’s movement alone, while his mentor watched worriedly from the sidelines.

“She’s not holding back,” Rosepaw whispers, eyes wide when a trail of blood leaks from Blackpaw’s scruff, “Shouldn’t we interfere--!?” The girl’s voice breaks into a gasp as a shout bellows out from behind her.

“Blackpaw! Get out of that grapple, now!” A brown haired man shouts from his perch, light eyes baring down on the two sparring beasts, “It’s been taught to you hundreds of times, get yourself free or tap out!”

The black pelted tom winces heavily, sharp teeth gritting together as he thrashes around in Fearpaw’s ironclad grip; his tail moves as he does, a glinting sliver of metal slips from the tip and angles towards the she-cat’s muzzle.

Fearpaw watches as he does this, very aware of the blade pointing her direction, and wonders briefly if Blackpaw could pull the trick off. Holding steadfast, she jerks her head again and feels some of the tom’s flesh rip; Blackpaw grunts and in a smooth motion jabs the blade into Fearpaw’s mouth and presses the flat side firmly against the top of her tongue.

It works, naturally, Fearpaw lets go and moves away just before Blackpaw has time to get a swipe in on her.

“Atta boy!” Oilfur, the one who warned him before, calls out again--proudly this time as the two apprentices get their bearings. The elder turns towards the group watching over the fight, and quickly reiterates the importance of such a move.

“As Blackpaw just demonstrated, when an attacker has you in a jaw lock, all you have to do is apply pressure to their tongues--it sets off a natural response that _usually_ makes them let go.” Brown eyes trail back to the sparring duo, just as Fearpaw charges Blackpaw back into a tree, “If that doesn’t work, aim your blades at their hearts and finish it.”

“Last resort method.” Sandstone adds after a moment, blinking challenging at the older warrior, “We don’t kill because we want to, we do so if there’s no other chance of survival--among the clans that is.”

“Of course.” Oilfur concedes, begrudgingly almost.

The group wince as Blackpaw finds the ground again, only this time his tail is pinned underneath a sturdy paw. Shadowpaw spares Camopaw a look before he speaks earnestly, “She’s probably upset about earlier..”

“Let her brood,” The other responds immediately, head perched lazily in one of his hands, “S’the only thing she’s good at.”

Shadowpaw’s stare hardened, “That could be you down there getting your tail handed to you,” He points out, “maybe you should apologize..”

“For what? Hurting her feelings with the truth? Face it, Shadowpaw, paranoia is eating her alive; only a matter of time before she loses her mind.” He retorts quietly.

“Stop that.”

_“Stop what?”_

“Talking like that; she’s not going crazy.” The blonde insists, “She’s just.. _sad_.”

The two barely notice when Blackpaw hits the ground again, even though the ground shakes with the collision, as Camopaw runs a hand over his face, “Look, everything that I say, I say it for a reason, Fearpaw is acting out of emotion right now.” There’s a faint voice of Oilfur declaring the fired up girl as the victor, “As far as I’m concerned she’s the reason Frostbite got kicked out.”

“But that doesn’t mean you should give her such a hard time about this..” Shadowpaw tries; moving slightly when Roguepaw steps past him in order to take Blackpaw’s place on the field, the boy practically buzzes with confidence as he jumps down. “She’s having a hard time coping; and I honestly think she blames herself for his banishment..”

“Then she’s getting what she deserves. She’s not the only one who liked Frostbite being in the clan, he was important to a lot of us.”

Blue eyes soften, missing the way Fearpaw’s beast form suddenly went rigid, “I know you and Frostbite were close too, Camopaw. He was a good man; but demoralizing his apprentice is no better--”

_“Seriously?!”_

Quick movement takes both boys off guard, and suddenly Fearpaw’s beast slams into the cliffside with a pained noise. The ground shudders violently while the two try to situate themselves and as they do so Roguepaw, the one who struck first, spits in a very agitated manner as he addresses the downed she-cat.

_“That’ll make you think twice about disregarding my training!”_

* * *

It was the pain that pulled her from the stupor she’d been forcefully placed into. 

A jagged cut across the left side of her face, something that trailed scornfully over her eye, as Roguepaw’s patience was severed.

Fearpaw could admit, the tom had a lot of power behind his blows-- she’d underestimated him during their fights, showed hesitance when he faltered, but now she was taking back all her words that sullied the boys skills in battle.

If he could conk her over the head, like that, then it was applaudable at best.

She hadn’t purposely ignored the boy, that wasn’t her intention at all, but her attention had been stolen by Darkstar’s patrol as they passed through the gentle block of trees that separates the main path to the training fields.

Fearpaw made the mistake of taking her eyes off the boy, and as his usual reaction to being ignored goes--Roguepaw did not take this lightly at all. He exploded, and in a fit of spite spun around and slammed the bladed end of his tail right into the starting part of Fearpaw’s jawline.

Her collision with the cliff side hadn’t exactly been planned either, especially when it got a couple heads to turn from the patrol; Fearpaw could feel her stomach drop when Darkstar steered his company over in order to investigate. Surely she could salvage this before it got out of hand..

“That’ll make you think twice about disregarding my training!”

Fearpaw very nearly rolled her eyes as Roguepaw swung down for another strike--even though Oilfur ordered the sparing to stop, he was still going-- 

The she-cat manages to jerk away, allowing his claws to rake down the stone incline, before slamming her blood stained head into Roguepaw’s shoulder and shoving him back.

“The match hasn’t started!” Fearpaw snarls as the tom stumbles away, “What gave you that bright idea?”

“You could at least pretend to focus during sparring matches, Fearpaw!” The male taunts, “Better to not give yourself away!”

He swings again, and this time his blade crashes against Fearpaw’s own; it’s a battle of strength the older female wins easily, and in an instant Roguepaw is pinned to the ground with his tail trapped underneath a heavy paw, “You’re pretty brainless to think you’d get away with that.” The tom hisses as he strains against the other’s weight. “You deserved it!”

“That’s enough!” Oilfur snaps, having taken his larger form during the skirmish, “Fearpaw off the boy now.” 

The black she-cat is quick to put distance between her and Roguepaw, barely withholding a snarl when he glares her way. 

Her attention swerves when Oilfur tugs her head his way, using his paw to do so, in order to inspect the nasty looking cut. His scowl deepens before he speaks, “Go find a healer and get that checked, you're done for today.”

There’s chuckling from the sidelines, something all three cats pick up on easily. When looking, they notice Camopaw with his mouth covered while his eyes twinkled with humor--of course when he noticed their stares he composed himself, but that did little to stop the salt that had already rubbed itself into Fearpaw’s wound.

Fearpaw takes her leave with silence, practically shoving Roguepaw out of her way as she made the trek towards the camp entrance--but she’s stopped.

Overlooking the field, trailed by five other warriors, Darkstar stands at attention and watches the entirety of the training group closely. His stare is incomprehensible, but it’s clear that he’s not pleased. “Hawkflight.” A brown haired teen stands immediately, blue eyes agitated, “Reprimand your apprentice for such behaviors,” He orders, glare falling onto Fearpaw just as a trail of gore slithers down from her cheek.

There’s a thud from behind the girl, something that makes her twitch to react, though she stops herself, and Roguepaw’s soft voice sounds as he apologizes to his mentor.

_“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, I swear!”_

“Oilfur.” 

Two sets of brown eyes clash, and Darkstar subtly gestures to Camopaw with his own pair. Deflating, the warrior turns to look up at his own apprentice.

Fearpaw finally finds the chance to take a breath, when Darkstar closes in on her; his expression is cold, collected, stunted that way after the loss of his friend, but his eyes claim worry as he watches her wound bleed.

“Hurry to the healer, while you're there send Ashfeather to me if you can.”

“Yes, Darkstar.” Fearpaw’s throat feels clogged as she steers around the tom, managing to keep her good eye trained on the group as she passes. She sees Pineclaw’s worried glance her way, and the undermining stare Patchedheart staples her with. 

But the thing that catches her most off guard is the three little bodies sitting comfortably atop Darkstar’s back; three little bodies who were staring right back at her in surprise.

Three faces, two unfamiliar, but one so imprinted in her mind Fearpaw knows she’d never forget.

They were humans.

And one of them was the human that attacked her.

* * *

Rage instills the surprise when Fearpaw finds herself in the midst of camp, still holding her bleeding face mind you, she’s taken aback by the audacity Darkstar has when bringing the humans-- _a people that could very well Endanger the clan--_ but finds herself obeying his orders and telling Ashfeather to go meet him once she arrives at the healer’s den.

It’s Nightpaw who tends to her wound, thankfully so; as Fearpaw wasn’t sure if she could hold her tongue around the newest healer, Riverpaw.

“Well, you’ve gone from awful looking to absolutely hammered.”

“Your jokes are unwanted.” Fearpaw bites out, swallowing down the rest of it before it comes out too sharply.

“Yeesh, you’re in a good mood.” The ravenette comments, but carefully dabs away some of the blood with a wet rag, “Something happen?”

“Darkstar has brought humans into our camp.” 

Nightpaw paused in her actions, “You’re kidding?”

“If I was I’d surely be in a better mood.” Fearpaw scowls deeply when the ravenette presses testingly against her wound. They share a firm look, Nightpaw searching the other’s eyes as Fearpaw glares darkly, and within seconds the healer is moving away.

“You think the Starteller put him up to this, don’t you?”

“They’re putting his loyalty to the test, I know they are.” Fearpaw insists, “Probably fed him the ‘What’s best for the clan’ stuff again, just to see what he’d do.”

Nightpaw blinked passively, retracting the hand with the wet cloth as she finished cleaning the other’s face, “How are you so sure, Fearpaw? What if all of this was _his_ decision?”

“Then I stayed here for nothing.” The brunette mutters, her left eye still sealed up due to pain, however steam was starting to coat her face, “Frostbite wouldn’t put his faith in someone like that. Plus, Darkstar _is_ kin of mine--..so it’s only fair that I give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Nightpaw frowned at that, but said nothing more-- she didn’t have to at least, because the brunette continued on, “I know Darkstar is on Frostbite’s side, _I know he is,_ but the Starteller has him wrapped around their finger--and if they can’t get him to agree with something, they can get Patchedheart to make him see reason.”

Two sets of amber eyes meet, duller counterparts of fire sparked ones softening when Nightpaw sees the anger Fearpaw holds within herself. Carefully, and quietly, she takes the rag and wipes it across the brunette’s injured eye. “Why do you think he’s brought the humans here?”

“Starteller reasons, I’m sure.”

“Aren’t you being a bit biased? We all know that the Starteller’s duty is to the clan, and the clan alone. If there are personal reasons then Starclan is obligated to destroy the vessel they speak through, it’s been proven.”

Fearpaw grit her teeth, seeing the sense; “I know, but seeing them gang up on Darkstar to run Frostbite out of the clan was just..” Amber-brown eyes close, sealing themselves from the world as the brunette tries to find her words, “It felt like overkill, even if it was in the _clan’s_ best interests; Frostbite was trying to find out if the humans brought danger--”

“I know, Fearpaw.”

“He would want me to know. To be aware of what they’re planning--to be prepared--”

“Fearpaw..” Nightpaw hushes, brows knit tightly together as she kneels in front of the girl, “I know that everything you do, you do for Frostbite. But try to understand that the Starteller has been alive for over a hundred years, they may seem unworthy of your trust now, but they are your best source of information. Ask them why they did it, and maybe they’ll give a solid answer.” A swarm of amusement takes the ravenette’s round face, and Fearpaw nearly cracks a smile at the expression alone,“Plus, you’re pretty good at catching lies; I bet you could tell if they’re lying.”

As the words leave her mouth a woman enters the healer’s den, eyes of flaming gold bearing down on the two apprentices.

_It’s Patchedheart_ , Fearpaw realizes, instantly swallowing down her next words so she can set her attention on the foul mood that graced their presence. Her insides coil in defense; while her mind, unhelpfully, plays with the idea of the deputy hearing the entire conversation-- the walls weren’t exactly soundproof--..

The blonde woman’s face is eerily neutral, she dismisses Nightpaw with a slow blink, and Fearpaw knows deep down that she’s done something to upset the high ranking warrior.

“Darkstar wants you in his den.” Patchedheart reveals, “It’s important; so as soon as you’re done here, go there.”

“Yes, Patchedheart.” Fearpaw responds, cooperating with the explosive attitude--for fear of retaliation was strong.

The deputy leaves without another word, and both apprentices release a breath they hadn’t realized they’d been holding in.

The air becomes heavy with worry, and Fearpaw barely has time to react before Nightpaw’s arms swarm her middle and lock tightly around her torso. The brunette, stunned for a moment, feels herself choke up when Nightpaw releases a shaky breath.

_“Just in case.”_ The soft eye’d girl admits, her unbidden dread leaking into her voice as the words click in Fearpaw’s mind.

Nightpaw was saying goodbye..

_Just in case we never see each other again. In case we were heard and they send you away too._

_Just in case you’re banished too._

* * *

This chapter is a merge of chapters 3-5, 6000+ words and a hope that it's better than the original three lmao. I hope the summary is okay for you guys, I tried my best, but we'll see. Part two will hopefully come out soon--as the rest of the chapters shouldn't need that much build up as the first few (Just depends on how well I feel to write them)

But as always I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

~Rowdy~


	3. As A Warrior| Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Attack On Clans..
> 
> Fearpaw has grown distant and bitter towards her fellow clanmates, and a good portion of them return the gesture by belittling and blaming her for the loss of a great warrior. The sting of pain is still there, but the young apprentice has numbed over the moon and is unsure of how she truly should feel.
> 
> A few of her fellow peers, and herself, have created a small group that has been trying to figure out the true reason for Frostbite's banishment; however in doing so they've unknowingly set a target on themselves. After getting caught, talking badly about the Starteller in the healer's den, Fearpaw finds herself face to face with danger and a decision.
> 
> She's unsure of how this will go, but she will show no fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really late update because of two jobs I had over the span of two weeks! Apologies!

* * *

Fearpaw was hesitant to pull herself from the healer’s den, away from Nightpaw’s embrace, away from the safety the other apprentice gave her. But she knew that if she didn't go now, the repercussions for being tardy would be far more severe.

Stepping outside, with the sun bearing down heavily in the empty clearing, Fearpaw takes a wary look around camp. Her left eye is still sealed shut, but healing the wound off wouldn’t take long. And even though the image was blurry there were a good few people, she could see, who were sitting down and conversing with each other.

Fearpaw felt her muscles tighten up, a recoiling effect that didn’t play all the way through. Her clanmates were acting all too normal considering the circumstances. Whether they were completely unaware of the humans, or uncaring, all together they acted like today was an entirely regular day.

There was a whisper of wind that graced Fearpaw’s frame, it sent tremors down her spine and focus branching into her mind as she hesitantly turned to look at the slope that led towards Darkstar’s den. Now wasn't the time to act bitter towards her clanmates, now was the time to be strong.

 _But_..

The girl's face dropped slightly upon the intimidating sight of the den a top the slope.

_She didn’t want to go._

She _really_ didn’t want to go.

Darkstar has never called her up for anything; and if he's called for her presence-- _while humans were his company_ \-- there’s no telling how badly this could turn out.

This was going to be her end, wasn't it?

That one human is going to tell him everything, _he's going to lie and say that I was also aggressive, and I'll be next in line for banishment.._ The she-cat could already feel Camopaw's mocking words singing in her ears.

And it pissed her off.

Amber-brown eyes lift just in time to see Patchedheart brace against one of the trees at the top of the slope. She had been in the confinements of the den adjacent to Darkstar’s, and Fearpaw could only assume she had been reporting to the Starteller of the things she heard back at the healer's den.

Fearpaw scowled at the thought. But Patchedheart didn't look overly malicious while she sought out her target, she just looked impatient if anything. The brunette girl tilted her head, the idea dawning on her as soon as their gazes met in a ferocious battle between different shades of fire.

_Patchedheart was looking for her._

It took the girl seconds to realize that she didn’t have a choice in this. Darkstar was calling her, and if she didn’t answer the consequences would be destructive for herself. 

Especially if Patchedheart was the one tasked in coming to get her.

_It was either go willingly, or be pulled up there kicking and screaming._

Fearpaw mulled her choices as she stepped out of a returning Ashfeather’s way. Not even acknowledging the older woman’s curious stare as she thought to herself. _Suffer the mental damage, or suffer the mental **and** the physical damage? _ Fearpaw weighs her options for a heavy second equally considering both for a moment.

Doused flames suddenly spark like hot coals, and the girl heaves a sigh, _..I’ve had enough of getting injured today._ Fearpaw concedes, begrudgingly moving towards the slope before Patchedheat could get a chance to yell down at her.

\--

It’s a gradual climb before she reaches the top with a slightly wavering breath. Patchedheart meets her there, spindly hand clasping heavily on her shoulder before directing her towards the den entrance. No words were shared between the two--not like there was time for it anyways-- as Patchedheart had already taken to shoving the girl to the side and into the adjacent den.

_A trick._

Fearpaw has seconds to process the direction before she’s stumbling into the Starteller’s den instead of Darkstar’s; her feet catch on embedded stones as she struggles to keep her balance, having been taken off guard as Patchedheart enters after her. 

An eerie silence befalls the two, before the deputy shoves her forward once more.

Fearpaw strains to not bite out a remark, and struggles to withhold her protests; fearing that if she dared to do anything out of line, that Patchedheart would do something. Frostbite’s struggle was enough to watch, and she’s done more than enough of imagining scenarios that would be forced upon her, but still Fearpaw wasn’t sure if she could handle herself when standing face to face with the two people responsible for banishing her mentor.

“You’ve brought her?” 

A voice from the darkness calls out, as the apprentice’s legs stall, and Patchedheart’s posture loosens. “Yes, Starteller. Like you asked, I brought her here from the healer’s den.”

A soft hum echoes through the den as an old body appears from the dimly lit middle room. Fearpaw tries her best to keep a straight face, but as far as she knows the Starteller could’ve very well known of her unease--even before her entry--

“Hello Fearpaw.” The greeting in friendly, far to friendly for the girl's taste, and the bow of the head in melodramatic in the worst of ways. But she's taken off guard by the flourish of the elder's hand, a gesture she'd been unfamiliar with--but would soon come to understand within the next few seconds.

Patchedheart’s hand pressed down on the girl’s shoulder, and Fearpaw is quickly forced down onto one knee before the eldest of her clan. Whatever pride had stabilized itself in her body had now been diminished into nothing, and Fearpaw couldn't help the bitter taste it left in her mouth.

However, in an effort to restore it, she refused eye contact; merely lowering her head in a respectful way before speaking coldly;

“ _Starteller._ ”

A soft sigh leaves the eldest, a strange noise to the apprentice's ears, as they carefully clasp their fingers against Fearpaw’s chin; the girl provided no resistance as her head was tilted up, but she didn’t bother to hide her distasteful stare--

Starteller or not, she _hated_ when people touched her.

Colorless eyes settled against the apprentice’s flaming gaze, casting a cooling net that trapped the younger in her spot.

They stare for a moment, soulless eyes seeming to run straight through Fearpaw, it was an undoubtedly eerie experience. Fearpaw tries her hardest not to shudder, but after a long moment, the Starteller quietly grazes a cold digit over the raw wound across Fearpaw’s left eye with a soft blink added behind it, “I hope that won’t scar.” They observe, before smiling oddly, “To lose an eye would be a terrible fate for such a young, promising, warrior.”

“Nightpaw claims it won’t.” Fearpaw states levelly, pulling her head away, before anxiously spitting out her questions for being here, “Is there a reason I’m here? Darkstar needed me.”

“Hold your tongue.” Patchedheart warns, “The Starteller needed to speak with you first, and you _will_ show them the respect they deserve.”

There’s bite to Fearpaw’s next comment, and she makes no effort to withhold her tone--if only to spite Patchedheart, “Oh yes, I’m terribly sorry that I was shoved into your den, without knowing anything, or meaning to! I just really wanted to intrude on your day, Starteller.”

The girl winced as Patchedheart’s fingers dug into her shoulder, a bout of annoyance baring from the female, while the Starteller smiled in a foxed manner of humor. “You are as witty as ever, I see. You take from Frostbite a lot.” The eldest comments, intrigued, very aware of how Fearpaw’s gaze hardened at the mention of her mentor, “What a shame that he isn’t here to see you take his spot in our clans.”

“Tell me what you want,” Fearpaw’s voice is terse and sharp, a testing blade aimed at the eldest, “I need to see Darkstar, not you.”

 _“Watch it--_ ” “Oh child, your resentment for what I did will is so very diminishing, I can see it. However it will do nothing good for you. Please know that I do not intend upon forcing you to forgive me or Patchedheart. I just need you to realize that everything I do is for the clan’s best interests.”

 _Like I would forgive you in the first place._ Fearpaw scoffed inwardly, _Clan’s best interests my tail!_

“So your logic for banishing Frostbite--one of the most loyal members and strongest warriors-- was just for the good of the clan? Do you realize how much we’ve struggled since his departure? Comradery is down by a landslide, because the apprentices miss Frostbite--and they hate _me_ for it!”

Patchedheart makes a noise, her eyes moving away before Fearpaw can catch the emotion that swayed in them, “Perhaps bettering your own relationships with others is what you should be doing instead of speaking privately against the Starteller.” ;the Starteller’s posture straightens as this goes on, catching onto that quickly.

“Not my fault I was pulled into their den; and it’s not my fault that you get offended by my opinions.” Fearpaw spat, borderline defensive now, _she hated being cornered_.

Soulless, colorless, and downright _strangely_ vibrant eyes settle on the girl, and it was then did Fearpaw start to feel the prickle of danger settling into her mind. “Everything that happens, happens for a reason. He was out of line.” The Starteller speaks sternly, no remorse in their voice, “You best watch yourself while voicing these ‘opinions’, that’s what your mentor did and look at what happened to him.”

“Sounds like you hold a grudge.” Fearpaw points out, bristling slightly when Patchedheart scoffed under her breath; but before anything else could be said she manages a sharp, humorless, grin. _Try to be brave, act in control_. Fearpaw begged inside of her mind, hoping to the highest power out there for them to lend her strength.

_“What? Am I next on the list because I ‘stepped out of line’ like he did?”_

The Starteller easily shakes their head, before Patchedheart gets the chance to comment.

“Of course not.”

Fearpaw was not convinced by that, and the Starteller could tell.

“ _Frostbite’s_ story has been a long and treacherous one, he’s walked many of the wrong paths, and though he’s tried to redeem himself through acts of love and affection, he’s never been able to correct his past.”

_Or maybe you’re too petty to forgive him_. Fearpaw thought bitterly, having been pushed past the point of wanting to hear the reasoning of the Starteller.

One’s past is in one’s past, present actions should not be looked down upon because of past actions. No matter what Frostbite did long ago, Fearpaw could never find it in herself to hate the man. He’s done enough good by her.

The Starteller obviously feels different.

And they could tell that Fearpaw’s opinion differed from their own.

With a firm stare, the Starteller’s aged body groaned as brittle bones ached to handle a standard kneel; Fearpaw watched as they did, now face to face with the eldest, “I am not your enemy, child. I will never be your enemy--”

“Unless I defend myself against a threat you call an ally.” Fearpaw accused, catching the waver in those eerie eyes, “ _Right_ ? You did say that you’d do anything for the ‘ _clan’s_ best interests’

“You are not my enemy, nor I yours. Anger fuels your thoughts as revenge teases your mind; you’re a straightforward warrior who has everlasting loyalty to this clan. You are smart, strong, _isolated_ , but willing to work. My child, you will be the greatest warrior one day, however if you hold onto your anger it will hold you back. I _know this. I see and know everything_ , Fearpaw. That is my gift.”

Something akin to worry takes the Starteller’s gaze, and Fearpaw feels the cold drag of dread settle in her stomach; “ _Our home_ will be destroyed if we continue as we are now and if we stay we’ll be destroyed alongside it. The humans are our way forward, we just have to place our clans within them.”

Patchedheart’s grip softens into something gentle and reassuring, “The Starteller is sworn to truth, Fearpaw. Please, know that. They would never hurt you, nor lie to you. We need to know that you’ll stay out of this, keep your distance and stop pushing back when we try something new; I had high hopes for you, but if you hold onto those blasphemous thoughts of revenge and anger, you will only hurt more.”

Something in Fearpaw’s chest twists, scorned by their words and offended by their accusations, _“I’m not out for revenge_.” The girl insists as gently as she could, trying her hardest not to snap “Revenge is a fool’s game; one I have no interest in playing--”

“That’s good!” The Starteller starts, beaming brightly, “So we’ve come to an understanding!” Only faltering when Fearpaw brushes Patchedheart’s hand off.

“--No, though I intend to sit on the sidelines and watch, ” Fearpaw admits, blinking passively when Patchedheart bared her teeth. “It’ll be a historical day when the almighty realize that not everything they say can be true.”

“You _ungrateful--_ ”

“Leave her.” The Starteller orders, looking past the two as a new body appears, “The truth will hopefully sting.”

Patchedheart, still livid with the disrespect, managed a stiff nod as the three turned to look at the newest head amongst the group.

“Starteller.”

Darkstar’s voice echoed through the den as the male stood at the entrance; his expression showed absolutely nothing, or at least nothing that could hint to his inward feelings-- but Fearpaw could tell, by the gentle straightening of the man’s jawline, that he was holding back some harsh backlash.

His dark gaze zeroed in on the young girl, and in a smooth motion he gestured for her to come to him. “C’mon, I need to talk to you.” Fearpaw was on her feet, and moving, within seconds; wanting nothing more than to escape.

But she could tell.

Whatever Darkstar had going on inside his head, was nothing good--at least not for her-- and the fact that he was livid underneath that well groomed facade of level-headedness, meant that it was something he was keeping hidden from a lot of other eyes.

_Fearpaw could only hope that she’d make it through another day in this clan._

* * *

* * *

Leading outside the den, a healthy distance away from the Starteller’s den, Darkstar halts at the edge of the cliff that overlooks the entirety of camp. There was a twitch in his posture, a hesitance, something that Fearpaw caught as he stopped just shy of the edge.

The scowl on his lips was not reassuring, and the subtle dip in his brow promised nothing good as Fearpaw awkwardly shuffled her feet from behind the leader.

Darkstar rolled his neck, face _barely_ visible to the apprentice as she listened to his sharp intake of breath.

 _He looks like he’s gearing up to say something important._ Fearpaw guesses, patiently awaiting the words to come and keeping an eye on the slope only a few paces away.

“Fearpaw,” Darkstar begins, brown eyes glinting in the mid-day sun, it caught the girl's attention, “Back inside with them, with the Starteller," He clarifies, " I’m sorry they cornered you like that.” _Typical leader, apologizing for someone else._ Fearpaw very nearly scolded the male for this. “I was lucky to hear without them seeing me; but I wanted to tell you that they’re wrong to assume your fate like that.” His opinion on the matter was unsurprising, but it was amazing to have him say it aloud.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” Fearpaw mutters, eyes glinting when Darkstar smiles weakly, “Even if I am, you must realize that your fate is in your own hands; the Starteller is only capable of seeing the most likely path you’re to take, _not_ the one you will walk.”

“Yeah? Well, I always knew they were liars.” Fearpaw mumbled, kicking a few rocks away from her feet as she awaited the man’s next words. This was obviously leading up to something important, Fearpaw could tell by his posture alone that he was holding something in. 

“Can I ask a favor of you?” Darkstar inquires after a moment of silence, and the apprentice behind him tilts her head curiously, “Depends on the favor, don't tell me you're going to ask me to go back in there again.”

Darkstar’s smile turned genuine this time, fond of her sway of humor; but his mood lessened considerably and within seconds he was straight-faced and serious once more. Fearpaw could sense the shift in the air, and she watched bemusedly as her leader mulled over the words in his mind before speaking, “Treachery is in the air; and the smell is most foul in the Starteller’s nose. They grow weary every passing day, and no one knows why.--”

 _“Get to the point..”_ Fearpaw’s patience was already treading a thin line, she didn’t want the dramatics anymore.

“ _\--I’ve_ heard songs of thunder that ring with shrill, angry, booms. Seen skies of bright blue shatter with lightning that lands with blasts of charged crimson. Tremors that tremble the earth under my feet when nothing is around.” Darkstar looks over his shoulder, reciting his knowledge without falter, “ _Perhaps_ it is Starclan foretelling the way I am to die; but I’d like to believe that my death will be something peaceful. Now with saying that, I would like to admit that dreams can be vivid and all knowing--even for someone who is not blessed with the divine gift of everlasting knowledge.”

Brown eyes glint, and Fearpaw nearly yields away with how serious they seem.“-- _The_ Starteller isn’t wrong when they say that we need to make allies with humans. But the way they describe it, it’s not.. _natural_. Our people cannot just integrate with a race we know nothing about. Frostbite was right when he said that they reacted dangerously against him; which is why we need knowledge of them before we even begin to start on the possibility of an alliance.”

“This is relevant to the favor, how?” Fearpaw questions, drawing near in order to keep their conversation quiet.

“Because,” Darkstar breathes, chest stuttering anxiously, “The Starteller was right about _one_ thing. The humans are the key to our survival--as they’ve evolved far quicker than we have, but they’re weak, and are a main source of food for our titan prey. I’ve proposed a compliance to the humans inside, one of them holds a very high rank within their warrior factions and he says that they could work with it only if-- ”

 _\--We_ offer protection against the titans,” Darkstar recites, “and they'll provide the intelligence and resources we need to survive. It could work, but first we need our own intelligence, _we need to know how they work before we do anything else._ ” 

Fearpaw takes a wary glance back to the Starteller’s den before responding, “This still hasn’t answered my question. How does _that_ fit in with this favor?”

Darkstar looks back to the den himself, his voice soft, “The humans inside have discussed it with me, and we want to send in a small _reliable_ group to go with them back to their territory.”

It clicked in her brain, and Fearpaw blinked in mild surprise, “So you want to send me? _That’s_ your plan?”

 _“Capable young_ **_warriors_ ** _._ ” He corrects smoothly, “ _Multiples_ , _a few_ ,” there was a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, and Fearpaw struggles to not gawk, “I’ve grown to realize that you’re an smart individual, Fearpaw. Frostbite loved you like you were his own, and I’ve seen the things you’re capable of. I trust that you can lead a small group into the human territory; that you can do this for me.”

“We'd be diving in head first, we don’t know the first thing about humans!--” Fearpaw tries, but is stopped when Darkstar’s eyes soften, “ _I know.”_ He agrees, despondent suddenly, “But if we don’t do this, before the Starteller has a chance to conjure their own plans, we could be in trouble. And now that you’ve disrespected them in front of Patchedheart, you have more of a target on your back than ever-- _the clan is no longer safe for you anyways_.”

Fearpaw looked extremely unsure as her leader pressed on, but soon voiced her own concern, “But how can you be so sure? As far as we know this could lead to more death--”

The black haired man deflated, a pang of stress beaming from his person due to Fearpaw's prodding questions, “It’s a gut feeling, you’ll have to trust me.”

“You’re going off of a gut feeling? And I’m supposed to just-- _believe you?_ ”

Darkstar’s mouth pulled into a frown, something offended, “Yes. As your leader, I’d like to think that you would put at least an ounce of faith into my instincts. I would at least like to assume that you’d listen to my reasoning.”

“In normal circumstances, I would.” Fearpaw admits after a moment, “But when I’m going into something blind, and listening to _humans_ , it’s a different story entirely.."

“So, that's a no?” Darkstar guesses, finishing his attempts to sucker Fearpaw into doing this. But, this man knew what he was doing--he knew very well that Fearpaw hated feeling pity. And with his well dressed upset expression, and disappointed slump--not to mention the defeated gloom that clouded his stare--; it only took Fearpaw a few seconds before she caved in and waved her hand exasperatedly.

“What do you need me to do?” Fearpaw questions airily, _she could at least humor him before her decision was made._

“I need you and your peers to go with these humans, settle yourself in their ranks, learn how to be a human, and make a strong bond with their race.” Darkstar instructs, beaming with victory, “That is all I ask. When you find yourself comfortable within their home, return to us and we’ll go from there.”

_“You really are sending us in blind..”_

“Maybe so, but at least I’m not sending you in alone.” Darkstar tries, but only receives a mildly annoyed stare. “Alone would be preferable-- _wait_..” Fearpaw’s eyes widen when she realizes the words, “and just who do you suppose I take!? I don’t know if you heard, but I told the Starteller that most of the other apprentices despise me!”

“But not all of them.” Darkstar points out, “Nightpaw and Shadowpaw are your closest companions next to Sandstone--” “Nightpaw is a healer, and Shadowpaw is practically a pacifist! I can’t do much with that.”

“Then take Camopaw too.” Darkstar advises, “He’s a strong fighter, and an extremely loyal member; he can help.” Fearpaw gawked at that, finally letting her somewhat neutral facade drop entirely, 

“ _Yeah_! Sure, he’ll help! Help make this more difficult on everyone but himself!”

“But he will be an asset if you find battles. You two may not get along but he will do almost anything for Nightpaw and Shadowpaw; use that to your advantage.” He urges, gaze understanding, before he pauses.

The scent hits Fearpaw first before she recognizes the feeling of having eyes on her. With the wind blowing against her back, and Darkstar’s widened gaze, the girl already knows-- even before she turns around-- that they’ve been caught.

Turning slightly and staring harshly at the entrance of the Starteller’s den, Patchedheart barely manages to whip herself back into the linen before Fearpaw gets proper sight on her.

It’s achingly quiet for a moment, before Darkstar hurriedly looks at Fearpaw and urges her towards his den, “That's your cue to go.. I’ll gather your patrol, they’re more likely to listen to me. Get the humans up and moving and then meet us at the entrance--”

The brunette girl moves without a second thought, practically flying into Darkstar’s den before the Starteller could emerge from their den. Her leader was right, if not before then definitely now, her clan wasn’t safe for her anymore. The Starteller’s influence on the clan was strong--almost as strong as their leader’s.

If it got out that Fearpaw was a traitor like her mentor, the apprentice would be cornered and run out before she could even utter a word of protest.

She just couldn’t believe that it was happening now of all times, _with humans of all things!_

\--

Sliding around a corner, in order to get into the main room of the den, Fearpaw nearly topples over when she halts in front of three people sitting by a fire. They had obviously been conversing amongst themselves, but when the apprentice--very ungracefully-- appeared, they quite literally jumped up from their seats.

A sense of shock and, _surprisingly_ , aggression bares from the three humans when they see the apprentice; however when they realize danger isn't immediate they slowly calm.

The den is quiet as Fearpaw takes them all in, making mental notes of each quirk and identifying differences between the three. The first thing she noticed was that they all seemed a little strange, despite the familiar build they shared with herself.

There was a blonde one, a male, who stood up front and at attention, he had a protective aura that screamed authority. He was tall and muscular, blue eyes like that of jarring storm. _Not to mention he had very large eyebrows._

The second was..possibly a female? The apprentice couldn’t tell, and couldn’t care less. They were eccentric, with a wild glint in their eyes that told Fearpaw something was far more off about them than normal.

The last was the human that attacked her; the accursed male that ripped her arm up into ribbons. Of course he also recognized her, but he was..tampered now, more calculating, more quiet.

Fearpaw didn't trust him in the least, but for now she had no choice.

A second passed, lasting longer than Fearpaw wanted, before the apprentice gestured for them to follow.

"It is time for you to leave; the clan is no longer safe for you." The apprentice urges, taking wary glances towards the entrance of Darkstar's den in case someone else were to barge in.

“We’re in danger?” The brunette haired human questioned, alarmed, “I thought you leader promised us safety?”

“That’s why I’m here.” Fearpaw reassured, “I am going to get you three out of here before the Starteller tells the clan of the change of plans.” She gestures to the second entrance, one that leads down a more private path, “Keep up with me, we’re not going to be stopping any time soon-- _and stay quiet._ ”

  
  


* * *

The caterwaul of alarmed yells sent dreadful shivers down Fearpaw's back. If present company hadn't been there, she might've very well shivered due to the fact that her clan was looking _for her_.

However, humans considered, she only frowned when she heard familiar voices calling her name while the Starteller's displeased tone rang clear as day.

"Find the traitor's apprentice! She's taken the humans from us!"

"Traitor?" The blonde human male questions, having been forced to duck back behind a large redwood with his companions by his sides.

Fearpaw detected no malice or mockery behind his words, surprisingly so as she was used to those tones aimed her way. But he seemed genuinely curious, and only so. _Perhaps he just wanted to know who he was to be working with,_ Fearpaw realized.

In that moment she decided that this one would be conversation worthy, far better than his attack first and ask questions later friend behind him. Plus, if these people were to be her way into the human's ranks then honesty could work best in her favor..

Fearpaw wracked up a soft breath as she turned to address the problem; she just hoped that they wouldn't take it the wrong way, and see her at fault.

"The Starteller's word is an optional law, unlike the leader's. If they say I'm traitorous then the clan has a right to decide for themselves. Most of them listen, unfortunately."

"Sounds corrupted." The black haired man comments neutrally, and Fearpaw has a hard time not full out thanking him for thinking the same as herself. "It _is_ corrupted. Leader's have the final say, but they can be overthrown by a simple comment from their Eldest. It, like other things, is unfair but unsurprising."

The brown haired one squinted at that, Fearpaw has noticed that they've noticed several tidbits of information--much faster than the two males-- _They must be the smart one._ " You've seen it happen before?"

"Something similar, less chaotic, more upsetting. My mentor was banished a while back, for doing something our Starteller did not like." Fearpaw admits, shrugging lightly but not bothering to hide her discomfort.

The blonde male's expression softened, a sympathy almost foreign to Fearpaw's eyes making his chiseled features gentle. "We're sorry to hear that, I hope that he's doing well out there."

_You and me both.._

_"Am I right_ when saying that you're the child we are to take back to the walls?" He suddenly questions, stunning eyes swirling like a whirlpool in the brightest blue oceans. "Yes, Darkstar and I spoke about it, I agreed to do it since the Starteller was already onto me."

"You're a troublemaker?" The brown haired one asks, both amused and not-- perhaps they didn't want unwanted trouble--

"Truth seeker, actually." Fearpaw smiled for the first time in a long time, and it came out genuine and polite, in a teasing manner almost. "They got mad at me for trying to understand my mentor's banishment."

"Oh good! You and Levi will get along swimmingly!" They grin, gesturing to the man beside them who bristled furiously.

"Quiet woman!" The black haired man, apparently named Levi, snapped bitterly before pointing at the camp entrance, "We have company.."

\---

Fearpaw looked to where he pointed, and let relief wash over her when Darkstar jogged outside of the log walls with a few apprentices trailing after him. He falters slightly when part of the wood croaks and cracks due to old age, making a mental note to find a replacement for it after he gets the escaping patrol away, before slowly descending down the rest of the way.

"It's Darkstar," She reassures, "and a few more apprentices that will be joining us for the mission."

" There will be four of you, yes?" The blonde man questions, eyeing the three children with a calculating stare. Fearpaw sent him a look, curious to know just what they spoke about during their meeting with Darkstar, before responding, "Yes, four. Three warriors one healer."

The man let out a acknowledging hum, and Fearpaw waved Darkstar down. When the leader caught sight of them, he urged the apprentices over before letting loose the last order Fearpaw would hear for a long while.

" Don't stop running until you hit the edge of our territory, alright? Be safe, and come back home to us. Things _will_ be sorted upon your arrival back, I give you my word." His hand lifts to rest on Camopaw's shoulder, " Work as a team, you are all you have out there, use each other to get through problems; these people will tell you everything you need to know and get you settled into a home that will take you in and teach you before you're to go into their training. Is this clear?" He releases the boy's shoulder, noting the way Camopaw took in the information before nodding at the newly appointed leader.

Brown eyes settle on Fearpaw, and the girl pauses for a second, he's addressing her as the patrol's leader it seems. The girl blinks away her shock before nodding once, firmly.

"We won't let you down."

" Good." The elder smiles thinly, taking a good few steps away, hesitant to do so, "Now get away from here before they notice you're out here-- Starclan only knows how long it will take them to notice your scents outside the camp--"

" _Not long at all._ " Eight bodies find themselves rigid as a cold voice sounds from a top the long walls. Fearpaw looks up with the others to see two warriors looking down at them.

Silentnight and Blueheart; two she-cats in the same age group as Sandstone and loyal mostly to the Starteller.

_Something that very well halts the escape plan._

_Or so everyone else thinks._

In a blink of an eye, Fearpaw has transformed and slammed straight into the weakened bend of the wall. Though her build is far more frail than the two female's atop the wall, she manages to hit the right point of the broken log Darkstar noticed; she hoped the force was enough to make a difference. 

_The frame all but crumbles, and the two she-cats up top crash to the ground alongside the broken wall._

The two warriors cry out as they fall, and Fearpaw winces when they slam against the ground; but the apprentice moves away in a hurry before they can get up. Scrambling back, Fearpaw orders her newly formed patrol to take on their beasts in order to retreat--but she's pleasantly surprised to see that her peers have already done just that. Camopaw stands before Nightpaw as the healer hoists the humans onto her back, while Shadowpaw looks around the wooded area in case patrols decide to come back early.

Fearpaw can't help herself when her mind urges her to take another look at the camp; her home. She notices the surprised faces of some of the older warriors around camp, a few frightened queens that cowered away, while Darkstar's beast formed in before them all. Beside him the two warriors that fell were starting to stir, Blueheart was struggling to get her head up, while Silentnight--much to Fearpaw's dismay-- had managed to stagger to her paws.

It was a frightening scene, but Fearpaw knew that if she didn't get her patrol moving now there would be no recovering.

"Let's move!" The newly appointed patrol leader orders, spinning on her back paws and chasing after her now retreating group. Camopaw, who seemed somewhat sensible during the run, had turned back and noticed Blueheart on her paws now, suddenly found himself voicing a option, "We're going to have company real soon, titan or clanmates, whichever ones we meet first, _we have to find a spot we can get through without them coming after us!_ "

Fearpaw considers the terrain, before she picks up the speed, "We'll lead our tails elsewhere while Nightpaw and Shadowpaw continue south." She offers, before looking at the other two, "Head for the west and get up the cliff-face before continuing south find the denser areas in order to hide yourselves and trails. Camopaw and I will make a detour and make them think we're heading towards the plains!"

"Got it!" Nightpaw gasps, hurtling past Shadowpaw in order to dive through some tightly packed trees-- the humans on her back looked a little out of it, but when their ride suddenly lurched forward Fearpaw could see their hands fly in order to grab as much fur as they could.

Shadowpaw was right behind her, though being the heaviest out of all of them, he moved a little more carefully as he followed; but that didn't stop him from wishing his friends luck.

Encouragements exchanged, the now separated groups take action.

Plan in motion, Fearpaw and Camopaw slide carelessly to a halt--hoping that it would be enough to make the warriors think that they were panicking for a way out. Fearpaw nods for the tom to follow and recklessly shoulders a large tree as she runs eastward, making the log splinter viciously before she bolts forward.

Camopaw followed suit with ease, crashing against trees of his own in order to make a scene of running blindly away; a perfect cover for frightened apprentices. The tom, in Fearpaw's opinion alone, looked natural at being afraid and running for his life--

But Camopaw didn't need to know that.

\--

By the time they could see the plains, Fearpaw noticed the voices blaring from camp had become louder and more frantic; she assumed that they'd found their mock trail and had begun to follow it. Luckily for the two apprentices they were almost home free as Fearpaw's paw grazed over the bright green grass.

"This is far enough." She pants, glancing at the male beside her; he wasn't in any better shape than her--after running a good portion of their territory they were bound to run themselves breathless. But the fact that he'd willingly went along with the idea was still fascinating to the she-cat, even now he was listening to her every word!

Fearpaw, though enjoying the quiet the male now provided, and would definitely use this against him at later dates, quickly decided that getting away _properly_ would be in their best interests. "We should circle back, take the higher route so they don't see us." 

Her eyes lock onto the mountain ridge she sent Nightpaw and Shadowpaw towards, part of her dreading the climb, but the rest of her was willing to do it, before walking past the quiet male in order to lead them away.

She doesn't get far, and neither does Camopaw.

A blur races through the trees, taking the female's paws right from underneath her body and sending her to the ground in a muddled heap. There was several crashes that sounded to her right, alongside Camopaw's snarling rage as he was taken off guard, but Fearpaw could barely keep up with herself as her body was pinned down by a larger creature.

A paw plants itself at the base of her neck, and while she could very easily breath, Fearpaw finds herself gasping for breath as her lungs rattled with the impact from falling. Her usually trained eyes were wide and uncoordinated, but when searing blue orbs stare down into her fire colored ones the she-cat suddenly finds herself bristling.

The tom was familiar, having been there at the training field earlier this day, the one who had scolded his own apprentice for being to abrasive against her; yet, after all of that, here he was-- _doing the Starteller's dirty work._

_Hawkflight_.

The brown tabby hovered over the she-cat's face as her eyes struggled to refocus, a twinge of guilt locked in his betrayed blue gaze. He held her down for a long moment, teeth bared angrily before he spoke sternly, "I don't know what's gotten into you. But you're coming back with us in order to get these things figured out."

Fearpaw feels his paw move before she's practically thrown to her paws. Ungracefully she stumbles to the side, finally managing to get a breath in before catching the gazes of the two other warriors who followed him out.

Stormlight had Camopaw blocked from her, keeping his body in between the two, while Sandstone watched the scene play out with an uncertain gleam to his stare. There was obvious conflict, and Fearpaw was sure that he didn't want any of this to happen. She realizes that this could be an advantage.

"Help me lead them back," Hawkflight orders, keeping on the she-cat's tail just in case she decided to run, "the Starteller will want them."

Fearpaw caught the daring stare of Camopaw, vibrant green and flaming amber meet for a split second--two minds intertwining for the first time -- before the twitch of confirmation in his gaze betrayed their plans. 

Sandstone, whom was in between them, paused solidly for a good second his stare blowing wide as he watched Hawkflight's head snap to the side while his brother was knocked off his feet. The pale tom veered back as Camopaw skidded to a halt next to Fearpaw before both apprentices looked at him challengingly.

Camopaw's gaze was like that of searing fire, ready to burn if Sandstone got the wrong idea, while Fearpaw's was a touch more gentle and apologetic. 

For her to run off with the clan's only chance at survival, _to take the humans away with no warning at all_ \-- it was crazy for Sandstone to even put Fearpaw's face to the crime! He wanted answers for the questions that were begging to come out, he wanted to girl to apologize for turning making their camp vulnerable to attacks-- _for her to apologize for making everyone dread the coming days!_ Sandstone wanted her to take the humans back--

But something stopped him.

The older male realized that something more had to of been happening for _these two_ , of all apprentices, to be acting like this. Camopaw never worked well with Fearpaw, especially alone, if they were fighting so well together right now there had to be a good reason.

He couldn't get in the way of his friends, clan enemies or not, anyway; he cared far too much for the young she-cat to hurt her chances, and if he brought her back to the clan now there was no telling what they'd do to her-- and if there was a bigger picture, Sandstone really didn't want to make a mess of things..

So he stepped back, turned his head, and refused to utter a word.

There was an outraged yowl that sounded from Hawkflight, straining out as the tom got back to his paws, but before he and Stormlight could rush after the apprentices the sharp glint of blades pierced the forest's natural lighting. There was a falter in the brown warrior's step, something that changed quickly to frantic as he struggled to veer away from the trees that were severed in order to cover up the apprentice's escape. 

Hawkflight watched the shadows as they swallowed up the younger cat's forms, blue eyes enraged as he turned to Sandstone. The look of betrayal on the tom's face was nothing reassuring, but knowing that the younger cats got away without harm was enough to soothe Sandstone's nerves--even as the tabby tom before him began to yell.

He hoped his actions wouldn't cost him a lot.

But even if they did, Sandstone wouldn't regret letting them go.

_He hoped Fearpaw would stay safe while out there._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is chapters 6-7 in one, rewritten and I love how it's turned out now! Hope you guys like it-- we'll be getting into the more humanity based things in the next chapter (As now I honestly just have to rewrite and revamp a few things in order to make it sound better!)
> 
> As always I hope you enjoyed, I'm so sorry for the wait, thank you for reading!
> 
> ~Rowdy.


	4. On The Run| Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Attack on Clans..
> 
> Fearpaw was asked to attend a meeting with her leader, Darkstar; it turned out to be a trick when she showed and by Patchedheart’s hand she was forced into a room with the clan’s Starteller.
> 
> They warned Fearpaw about crossing lines that shouldn’t be crossed, that the Starteller’s word was practically law and that she had to obey, else she’d be punished severely.
> 
> Fearpaw, left on the defensive, found that she now had a target on her back; and now they wanted her gone.
> 
> When he manages to find her, Darkstar tells her that the clan is no longer safe for her. That the loyalty in his clan was dwindling under his reach and the ones he could trust were hidden away; Darkstar tells her that she’s trustworthy enough to send away in order to get the human’s favor before the Starteller can force integration upon them.
> 
> Fearpaw obeys and now she, along with others, are on the run with the three humans. 

Fearpaw and Camopaw didn’t stop until they were up the cliffside, and even then they didn’t stop moving. Too afraid to get caught, and too energized to stay still long enough, the two apprentices refused to stop and think about what happened as Camopaw led the way through the trees.

The tom, much to Fearpaw’s surprise, was keeping to himself; staying quiet, despite the girl knowing deep down that he probably had something to say about what they just went through. Stubbornly, Fearpaw sees, he continues forward without a glance backwards; which leaves her to make sure that they’re not being followed.

They’re not; but it doesn’t stop Fearpaw from being paranoid, nor does it halt Camopaw’s trek forward.

It’s ages before they start seeing signs of the southern borders. And just when Fearpaw believes the trip will stay silent until they meet up with the rest of the group, Camopaw decides to say something. Obviously wanting it off his chest before the others can be there to defend the female from his words.

“Are you going to explain what just happened to us? Our clanmates just attacked us, and you're acting like it's just another day.” The words are accusing, and have serious bite behind them--a warning for the girl to stay serious-- "Hawkflight treated you as an enemy, and I have a right to know as to why they suddenly hate you more than usual"--

_Ouch, that hurt.._

Fearpaw frowns at his words, but Camopaw isn't finished.

\--"Darkstar pulled all of us away from what we were doing, he failed to tell us anything, and all of a sudden we’re following your orders.” A long tail thrashes back, unintentionally colliding with a small batch of trees, but Camopaw keeps his stare forward, "If you ask me, that doesn't quite sound right to me. _You being in charge of something is like asking for that something to die."_

Green eyes, sharpened like a blade, and vicious like a wildfire, turn back and Fearpaw inwardly withers away at the look; he’s angry, _rightfully so_ , but it’s aimed unfairly at her. 

Does he truly think she wanted to run away from home? That _she_ told Darkstar to grab them and rip them away from everything that they’ve ever known?

“Tell me why Darkstar has us out here!” Camopaw snaps, ears charging back as his voice nears a bark.

Fearpaw complies easily, wanting nothing but to soothe the angry aura that surrounds the male; “We got caught by the Starteller when Darkstar was telling me about this plan. It was a spur of the moment thought that he went with; I’m sure he just wanted us away and safe before worse things could happen!”

“That doesn’t tell me anything, Fearpaw.”

“It was only a matter of time before we got caught anyways.” She goes on, ignoring his irritated voice, “Darkstar’s been planning this mission on the humans for moons, he just never got the chance to go through with it until now.”

“This is just an elaborate plan of his? To send us out into unknown territory to do only Starclan knows what?!”

“Darkstar chose us to seek information from the humans so we could potentially create an alliance with them, I told him that we would.” Fearpaw explains, before pointedly telling the tom it would have happened regardless of the way it started, “Darkstar had it planned from the start. He doesn’t want to integrate immediately with the humans, like the Starteller told him too. He wants information first.”

Brown eyes flicker to the back of the tom’s head, narrowing slightly when she notices the bristling fur against his scruff, “Like it or not, this would have happened no matter what. The humans agreed to bring young into their ranks, not warriors.”

“That’s what he wants us to do?” Camopaw asks, incredulous of what’s being said, “He wants us, _children_ , to go to a strange land and be humans?--”

“He wants to know what the humans are, what they’re capable of doing,” Fearpaw corrects, “we have to learn everything we can about their way of life and decide on whether or not we should merge the clan with them.”

Camopaw then stops, blinking dumbly while looking back at the girl; “Is he serious? Why are we being put in that position to make this decision?--" Fearpaw feels her chest tighten when the tom says this; the 'we' that comes out of his mouth sounds as if he's including her as well, and for some reason it gives her hope that he's finally coming around and getting over this jealousy that plagues his mind

"-- more importantly," Camopaw scowls when he sees the female take pause at his words, uncaring of the things that take her mind, "why are _you_ in charge of us while doing this?! You’re the least qualified for this!”

“Real subtle,” Fearpaw accuses, the little string of hope snapping when the tom says that, so much for that..

“You know I didn’t ask to be in charge, Camopaw. He just pointed at me and told me to lead.”

“You could’ve said no.”

“We were running away before I had a chance to say anything!” Fearpaw snaps, tail lashing once as the male in front of her scowled, “You think I wanted to be in this position? To be here leading _you_ out of everyone in this clan? If you were so against it then why did you follow me?!”

“I was keeping Nightpaw safe!” Camopaw snaps, ears popping up-- acting in his own defense for his actions “She followed you, and I knew that you wouldn’t be able to keep her safe--You should be glad I followed you, you’d be halfway back to camp by now had I not been there to help!”

“And I’m grateful you were there!” Fearpaw spits, furious but earnest-- why did he have to be so infuriating?! “Why did you think I asked you to come when we needed to lead the warriors away!? So that we could argue?! You’re a fighter, Camopaw, Darkstar knew that I would need you; I’m going along with what he says because he was right! I did need help back there.”

The she-cat glares darkly when confusion stings through Camopaw's expression; ruffled now, Fearpaw walks past him--more like shoves-- but the tom barely registers it as he lets her words sink in properly.

_Obviously he wasn't expecting an actual thank you.._

* * *

By the time they find Nightpaw and Shadowpaw, the sky is blossoming into a dark orange as the sun starts to set. 

They find the other half of their newly formed patrol hunkered down in the foliage, with Nightpaw at the back and Shadowpaw forward facing with his blade out and at the ready. A titan had already found their hiding spot, and as a means to keep them safe Shadowpaw managed to fend it off and kill it before it could see their healer and the humans.

Fearpaw stayed back as Camopaw veered forward to check on them, his green eyes leaking with relief as Nightpaw poked her head out of the thick trees. They touched noses, before Shadowpaw took her place and bumped heads with his friend. The two toms pulled away, struck into quiet conversation, and as they do the other she-cat moves towards Fearpaw who merely lowered her own head down in a greeting.

In common Nightpaw knowledge, a simple nod just wouldn't do.

The grey female was on the darker in seconds, heads colliding as a rumbling purr broke from Nightpaw's throat and vibrated in Fearpaw's ears. 

"I'm glad you and Camopaw made it out alright." She confesses, amber eyes shining with relief, as the humans on her back lurch over in order to see Fearpaw as well; "We got lucky with only one titan curious enough to come and check us out. Did anything stop you?"

"A few warriors cornered us." Fearpaw admits, noting that behind the healer the two toms had perked up to listen--Shadowpaw being more interested, while Camopaw glared-- "We managed to get away, but only because Sandstone refused to step in and help them."

Fearpaw could feel a part of herself break for the tom who very well could've just sacrificed everything so that she and Camopaw could escape. 

She can only hope that his punishment isn't severe..

"That's terrible." Nightpaw comments, "For Sandstone, I mean; I'm glad you two got away, but they sent warriors after apprentices for _running away_. Do you think that he'd be--"

"Now's not the time, Nightpaw." Shadowpaw interfered, a stare pointed at Fearpaw to check her reaction. He knew that she was afraid of Sandstone being banished, and surely it wouldn't come to that, _but it's best not to mention it now._ "What should we do now, Fearpaw?" He questions, noting the way Camopaw huffed behind him, "I checked the plains and they have a few roamers in them, but it's up to you if we move now or later."

Brown eyes darken at the available choices, part of the girl didn't want to say anything at all but Fearpaw knows--just as much as they do-- that she's the one in charge of making the big choices.

This is one of many to come.

"You're territory is past the plains?" Fearpaw asks, the question pointed to the humans atop Nightpaw's back.

The blonde one nods, responding almost instantly, "Yes, we have giant stone walls; very hard to miss, but we'll lead you and the others there regardless." He says, and Fearpaw relaxes slightly.

_At least someone knows where they were going._

"You said there weren't a lot of roaming titans out there?" She inquires towards Shadowpaw while leaning back to look over the plains they'll have to cross.

"A few, but we can out pace them. They look weak in the legs." Shadowpaw reports, easily falling into the roles as Fearpaw takes control; in his mind she fits the part well, being so serious. The male doesn't care what Camopaw says about Fearpaw; he just doesn't know her as much as Shadowpaw does, and maybe that gets to him sometimes.

"We go now then." Fearpaw tells them, ear flicking when silence meets her ears, "It's best to leave the clan's territory as soon as possible; before they can form more patrols to track after us."

"Makes sense.." Nightpaw encourages after a moment, eyeing the plains warily as the humans shifted on her back to better hide themselves. Fearpaw gently rests her tail along the flank of the other female, blinking softly as to reassure the nerves that poured from her frame all of a sudden, "We'll keep a steady pace, don't worry. I won't let anything happen."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Fearpaw." Nightpaw says sternly, but her voice cracks with her fear. She hasn't been out of the trees since her beginning apprentice days-- being a healer doesn't give much reason for leaving the safety of camp, and it leaves them very vulnerable when titans come sniffing..--

Thankfully they're taught a little self defense, but still.. Nightpaw was the weakest link when it came to these things. Barely any fighting experience, weakened stamina, and untrained muscles.

Practically an overgrown kit, but Fearpaw would never say that aloud.

"Let's make a blockade." Fearpaw advises as an afterthought, pausing before she led the way out into plains. "Just to make sure Nightpaw's sides are covered while I lead us forward."

Shadowpaw nods, and Camopaw wordlessly makes his way to Nightpaw's left.

Fearpaw takes no thought into that, not wanting to unravel that box of terrors again, as she starts the light paced stride out into the open.

_If they could get through this without hiccups, she'd call it a win._

* * *

When Fearpaw first saw the the walls she believed it to be a trick of the light.

A giant mountain range that towered over everything else in the world.

She had been correctly, humored filled words that told her the truth of what it was, but Fearpaw couldn't help but feel the twinge of embarrassment that took her frame when the brown haired human--who recently introduced herself as Hanji-- corrected her on the assumption.

"That's the wall." Is what she said, sitting comfortably back on the palm of her hands while atop Nightpaw's head, "That's where the human territory is, it's where every human lives!"

"Every human?" Shadowpaw was the one to ask, blue eyes swirling with interest as he closed in on the side, "None of you live outside?"

"Nope! It's too dangerous for us. The titans are always trying to track our trails so they can get a quick snack! Everyone who can't fight, lives peacefully inside of those walls." The two toms shared a look, something Fearpaw had failed to see but could imagine it being incredulous, "So, every human of age learns to fight?"

"What?" Hanji had actually laughed at the thought, "If every able body was actually willing to fight, we'd probably be free of titans!" She giggled, but composed herself soon after, "No, no, only those what want to fight-- or want to learn how to fight-- join the military program. It's how they section off into the three branches of our military."

"What's a military?" Nightpaw questioned, her voice rising up from being so quiet for so long.

"Armed forces." Levi had been the one to supply, but his definition was little to no help.

"A large regiment of people who work to protect the walls." Hanji provides.

The tom's had looked at each other, confused by the large word. 

_Regiment?_

"Something similar to how your tactics of life work." Erwin, the blonde male with the big eyebrows, produced after a moment of awkward silence, "Our soldiers are like your warriors. The younger generation comes in to start somewhere a little over your 'smaller forms' ages right now. They stay in the training program for a few years until they're ready, and when they are, then they chose a division they wish to work in."

"I see.." Shadowpaw hums, but it was clear that he was the slowest to understand.

"Elaborate." Fearpaw had requested, at the time knowing good and well that no one else was going to ask, "What are these 'Military Branches' Hanji speaks of?"

"There are three main divisions, the one I dislike the most is the Military Police; it's a place for those who only rank highest of their corps, they keep a nice spot up in the higher region protecting the fat and happy of our kind." Levi's voice had so much distaste in it, Fearpaw was a little surprised to hear it, was it common to hate one's own kind for humans?

Erwin, however, had cut in before his smaller counterpart could further slander the branch's name, "It's a place where the highest placed cadets-- _soldiers in training--_ go to then protect the inner territory of the walls. A justice system, if you will. They project the law amongst the rest of the civilians."

"Civilians? What are those?" 

"Humans without a place in the Military. They usual sell useful provisions, such as food, drink, clothing--things humans need to keep ourselves going." Erwin explains; "You'll learn it as you go, you have my word. I'll be sending you four to a home where someone capable will care for you, and teach you everything you will need to know; until your 'smaller forms' are of age for the military. You'll be living as one of these civilians for a while until then."

Fearpaw remembers the silence that took over for a solid few seconds, how she knew that behind her back her patrol were sharing unsure looks, but she questioned on despite this.

"The other branches are like this one?"

"Actually no, quite different actually." Hanji had answered this time, grinning widely, "The Garrison is the largest branch in our military; they're in charge of taking care of the wall and caring for the cannons on top of them. They're also found patrolling the most, and guarding the gates in and out of the walls."

"What are cannons?" Shadowpaw had interrupted, and Fearpaw remembers getting slightly annoyed.

"Large, long range, weapons that shoot balls of very fine stone; they have a generous amount of something we call 'gunpowder' in them that makes them have the ability to fire off. Their speed is what makes them so dangerous against the titans. Quite useful actually!"

Fearpaw had let that bit of information sink in, glad that she hadn't stopped Shadowpaw from asking his question.

Those could be potentially dangerous to them if they weren't careful.

"And the last one?" 

"The Survey Corps." Erwin provided, if not proudly, "It's the one we command over; we are the only people to venture outside of these walls in order to find new things and learn more about our titan enemies. We haven't gotten very far out here, not without getting ambushed by titans; your camp is by far the farthest we've been without something bad happening." He admitted.

Fearpaw had actually turned at that, interested, "The only humans that come out? You make it sound like a bad thing."

Hanji merely shrugged, not denying it, "A lot of others don't favor us. We usually don't return to the walls with the same numbers we left with, and with nothing to prove, most of the time we're seen as a joke."

Levi had rolled his eyes at that, "People don't like us, is what she's trying to say."

"Doesn't stop us! Just look what we're bringing back this time!" Hanji's excitement had sent a shiver down Fearpaw's spine, but it was controlled and settled when Erwin spoke again, "They're to be hidden until further notice. _If any of the other regiments were to find out about these kids, there is no telling what could happen."_

"Keeping us under wraps is probably safest." Nightpaw agreed, "Your people and ours have never met before, and no offence-- but if my clan reacted that way to you all, there's no telling what your's will do."

"She has a point." Camopaw encouraged, the only thing he said through the night actually.

Fearpaw had agreed, silently albeit, but she was on board with the idea as she pulled up to a stop at the foot of the wall. With the sun's last drip of light disappearing over the top, the patrol was finally lost within the blanket of night. 

This was where things would change for them.

Uncharted territory, and new dangerous things.

Looking up the golden wall, Fearpaw's ears fall backwards as her neck cranes back; in her stomach the coil of dread dared to test her nerves but somehow she kept herself steeled, even as Erwin fired off of Nightpaw's shoulder-- using the strange box and strings attached to his sides to make him fly-- and landed gracefully on Fearpaw's own.

He spoke with reassurance, but it did little to nothing to help Fearpaw's nerves, " Patrols for the wall tops will be extremely low during the night, we can get up there and down before the next one is even in sight." "So we climb." Fearpaw finishes, getting ready to rear back when Erwin stops her quickly,

"If you'll switch to your smaller forms we can get you all up there without damaging the wall's structure. It'll keep suspicion off of us."

Amber eyes flicker to the side, but Fearpaw nods in agreement without saying anything against it--though inwardly she's hesitant to leave her safer form, "Can you carry two of us?"

"Not a problem." Erwin nods, flying towards the wall and waiting patiently for the apprentices to take too their smaller bodies. 

Fearpaw looks to her patrol, her tail sweeping as she signals them to change back.

_She's surprised to see them comply so easily._

"Nightpaw and I will go together, I believe we weigh the least." She tells the man while tugging her arms free from her beast's muscle linked embrace; it rips at the skin on her forearms, tearing viciously as she rips away, but it's practically healed over by the time Fearpaw's freed herself.

"How fast can you get us up there?" Shadowpaw rasps through the steam that leaks from his beast's body, a short cough hacking from his throat when he inhales a large portion of it. 

"Under a minute." Hanji responds, loping her arm around his back before pulling the blonde boy flush against her side, "You'll need to hang on!" 

One wild maniac smile, and a perfectly timed frightened expression, later Shadowpaw is suddenly letting loose a squeal as his body is propelled upwards. Fearpaw sees that he clings tightly onto Hanji's side, possibly in a death grip, but the woman seems to enjoy it as she takes him skyward to the top of the wall.

"Looks fun.." Nightpaw comments, unsure but trying to be brave as she nears Erwin, "Can we _not_ go that fast."

"Faster we go the quicker we can get down." Fearpaw points out, flinching slightly when Camopaw and Levi take off without a single word. When Erwin moves to grab them both, she can't help but feel like she's dangling from a tree branch as he lifts them both up with ease; but the feeling is quickly lost to the far reaches of her mind as he fires up and flies towards the top.

It takes everything in Fearpaw to not shout, but Nightpaw practically cries as her stomach flips with the jarring movement.

When they get topside, they find Shadowpaw heaving whatever food he had earlier up; his bile is extremely noticeable on the golden wall, but Fearpaw barely acknowledges it as her legs quake from left over adrenaline.

"That was terrible!" Nightpaw gasps, dropping to the floor and covering her mouth, "I vote to never do that again."

Hanji smiled at that, obviously knowing something the apprentices did not--had it been under different circumstances Fearpaw would of questioned it, but she wasn't to compelled to do so now. Instead she agrees, "I don't think we're truly ready for that yet either." 

"We still have to get down." Levi points out gruffly, steel gaze locking with Fearpaw's as the girl nods, "We'll get down," She answers, "In our own way."

"And how are you going to do that without making a crater in the ground?" The man challenges.

A sudden blur sweeps past the raven haired man, taking him off guard as Camopaw charges off the wall and dives off--still in his smaller form, mind you. Fearpaw watches as he does, unsurprised by this as she watches his body become smaller and smaller.

Hanji moves to go after him but Shadowpaw stops her with a dismissing wave, "Don't worry, he does that a lot." He reassures, "We call it tree diving. But I guess in this case, it's wall diving."

"Tree diving?"

Fearpaw takes over as her blonde friend nods proudly, "A hunting and ambush tactic in our clan. Our beast's paws are extremely well padded making us what other's call 'silent steppers'. Basically in tree diving, you climb the highest trees you can get yourselves in, hide until something is underneath you, before diving off the tree and transforming right before you land. No footprints, no hole, no sound. Maybe a little ground rumble, if you're unlucky, but that's usually it."

They all look over the side again to see Camopaw's beast form looking up at them expectantly.

"A shame, he survived." Fearpaw tsks, feigning disappointment while Nightpaw swats her head irritably, "Don't say that! He wouldn't say that about you!"

"That's a lie and you know it." Fearpaw scoffed, before backing up and charging off the side.

...

Upon impact, the trees merely shook with a disturbed breeze.

Fearpaw lifted her head just in time to see Shadowpaw land with ease, his beast coming into view just before he hit the ground while his padded feet barely did anything to harm the ground underneath him. 

On his head Nightpaw sat in her human form, while behind them all the humans flew in after them before landing on Fearpaw's back.

"Where to now?" She questions, a lot more lively now.

Erwin smiled faintly at the way the she-cat tried to hide her inner excitement, and humored her by pointing southward, "We have another wall to cross over, but as soon as we do we'll be in the second wall's territory; Wall Rose is what we call it."

"How many walls are there?" Fearpaw inquires, a little surprised to hear that there was more than one. 

"Three. The one we are in right now is Wall Maria, next is Rose, then Sina. Wall Sina is the safest from titans; but it's where you'd be picked out easily." Erwin answers, "We'll be taking you to Rose, you'll hide out in some woods while we go to find a suitable household to take you in."

The she-cat hums, somewhat understanding his words, though not entirely, her ear twitched lightly to signal the others to follow after her.

_Three walls, guarded and patrolled regularly, with long ranged weapons on them. A military that branches out into three categories; which possibly don't work well together after hearing their opinions on them. And it seems a large portion of their species don't include themselves in the fight, while dismissing the braver of them as stupid._

Fearpaw nearly smirked, that was a good bit of information for a couple hours in.

They were starting to feel safe enough around the apprentices to trust them when things like this; it was almost too easy to get the info she needed.

Being human didn't seem to be that hard, despite being at threat of titans--which Fearpaw already knew that feeling well enough-- they seemed like simple creatures.

A walk in the park, Fearpaw dismissed, They'd be back home with what they need in no time.

* * *

After crossing the second wall, and falling somewhere deep into a forest inside of Wall Rose's territory, Fearpaw's group were finally told that this is the area they were to stay in until further notice. 

It was a quiet setting, small at first glance, a small creek bed nearby, with surrounding forests filled by dense foliage that would keep them hidden from prying eyes--or that's what Fearpaw believed to be true.

..She wasn't quite sure how well humans were at tracking..

"Here is probably as hidden as we're going to get." Erwin sounds from the front of the group as they slowed to a gradual stop. It was requested for them to stay out of their beasts after getting onto the second wall; as a lot of people lived in Wall Rose --in condensed villages that line every inch of the second wall's territory--

_Whatever a village was, Fearpaw assumed it was bad._

The brunette girl had begrudgingly agreed to leaving her beast, and when she did her patrol eventually did as well, but she could tell that Camopaw was getting tired of being bossed around. With every growing second it was becoming far more noticeable when he sighed and tsked whenever one of the humans explained something that swept over everyone's heads.

She just hoped that he could last a little longer; at least until the humans leave them to their own devices. Fearpaw really didn't want the male to blow a fuse in front of these people.

Blue eyes settle over the apprentices, and Fearpaw stops as Erwin nods, "This will do." He concedes, "We'll need you to stay here for a day or two until one of us comes to get you. I need to find a home that will take the four of you in, and until then you need to stay out of sight." The blonde man looks around hesitantly, almost as if he was unsure about leaving them behind, "This area will work for you?"

Fearpaw nods when he asks the question, a growing exhaustion slowing her need to respond and act politely as she looks around the small open area, "It'll work." She tells him, already planning out the camp inside her mind.

"There's a town a past the woods, we can quickly get them food before we leave--"

"No need." Fearpaw reassures, a little taken aback when he questions their ability to provide for themselves, "We can hunt, it's not a problem." Amber eyes twitch to Nightpaw as the girl plops down ungracefully on the ground, a twinge of humor ghosting past her lips when the humans shared slightly surprised stares--obviously they weren't used to hunting for their own food.

_Incapable of feeding themselves._

_How strange._

"We'll see you when you return!" Shadowpaw smiles dismissively but politely, being the only one left in the group with enough energy to show his teeth--in a friendly way that is--. "We won't move, or if we do we won't move far; warriors promise!"

"Alright." Erwin trails off, intrigued, "It will be a couple days, a few at most."

"S'fine." Camopaw huffs, running a hand through his hair while the humans share a awkward look.

"We'll see you kids soon." Hanji finally blurts, filling in the silence with their goodbyes before tugging the two men along with her. The patrol held their breath in unison as the humans disappeared into the woods, and when they were finally out of sight the apprentices sighed collectively.

_This was a mess._

Almost as quickly as they left Camopaw also whirls on Fearpaw, bristling angrily as he does. "That's what we're going with? _That?_ Are you serious right now?"

Far to tired for another spell, and desperately not wanting another fight with the tom, Fearpaw raises her hand before he can get too deep with his words, "It's all that we have right now. We take what we can get and then we leave; it's a simple as that."

" _We have no idea what we're getting into!_ " He argues, "What do you want me to do?!" Fearpaw snaps, "Chase them down and bring them back so _you_ can ask every little question you want?! Snap my fingers and magically make everything go back to normal?! _I am doing what I can!_ "

"She's right, Camopaw.." Nightpaw trails off, eyes soft, "We're in a bad spot to argue, right now we just need to sit and wait until something else happens--then we can move from there.."

Air filtered harshly through the male's nose, sounding out through a huff as Camopaw quietly reined himself in before anything else could be said. Fearpaw, internally grateful for Nightpaw's presence, makes to keep her distance from the male; but she does implore her patrol that making a fire and some sort of shelter would do well for them before they turn in for the night.

It's a slow process, but eventually everyone is moving to finish the work so they can finally put an end to this day.

Unbeknownst to the patrol, however, a pair of shocked eyes watch from the shadows as they slowly work on fixing up their new camp.

_Who the hell would leave their kids to fend for themselves in the woods?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters 8-9 here! This came out so much faster than I originally thought it would! Writing motivation thank you? Lmao
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed,
> 
> ~Rowdy~


	5. Take A Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Attack On Clans,
> 
> On the run from their home clan, Fearpaw is dropped into a leader's position without any warning and has to take her newly formed patrol away before they're caught by the Starteller's loyal followers, while protecting her human charges while doing so. They reach the walls by nightfall, and are told several notable things that humans are capable of both doing and making, before the humans they traveled with dismiss themselves in order to find a suitable home to take the shifters in.
> 
> All they can do now is wait, which is never a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to make a note, the apprentice's ages are all around 13 years old here (The year in AOT being early 845 before Wall Maria's fall) They'll stay in common lives until year 847 when they'll be added into the Military, which then they'll be 15. When their time in the military ends they'll be 18. (Have to consider their birthdays, but they'll be aged to that)
> 
> Just wanted to give a timeline for both myself and you guys <3

Fearpaw's human form(Drawn by me)>

* * *

That night Fearpaw dreamed of dark starless skies.

Nothing was uttered, nothing made a noise, it was just her conscious and the sky. A relatively peacefully dream, had it not been eerily quiet the entire time. She slept, but it was not soundly nor restfully. It was fitful and restless; she woke up sore, with an eager hand shaking her awake, while a voice pricked at her ears in order to rouse her mind.

"Fearpaw!"

A firm shake.

"Fearpaw!"

Another.

" _Fearpaw_!"

At the third beckon, the girl finally groaned lowly and brushed the hand that secured itself to her shoulder away. A burning eye, pooling fire in color, and foggy with tire, cracks open and glares at the offending shining colors of blue that beam from above.

"About time!" The fluorescent color of shining eyes flash in the morning sun and Fearpaw's pupils shrink when it stabs into her vision, "You're the last to wake!" Shadowpaw points out with a disappointed look, which was countered by Fearpaw's own testing stare, "Don't look at me like that, it was either me or Camopaw that was going to wake you up, be glad you're not on the floor right now."

He shifts off of her then, having been over her face directly in order to get her attention, but as he moves Fearpaw can't help but note the pull of something that had been tucked around her legs; _something that follows the tom for a few seconds._

"Oops.." Shadowpaw mutters, going to fix what he moved on accident but he's stopped when Fearpaw sits up suddenly.

Her eyes immediately fix on the strange thin fur like cover over her legs, her mind registering the comfortable padding that she slept on while she finally notes that she's no longer in the woods. 

She's in a fully wooden walled room, with the only light coming from the cracked opening to her left.

Shadowpaw loosed a few curses when he sees the girl reaction to her surroundings, afraid of her eventual explosive response, but he still tries to soothe her before it hits that point.

"Fearpaw-"

"Where are we?" Her question comes out before he can say more, and the boy is left wincing when her voice leaks out with dangerous severity and worry, "Where are the others?" 

"They're safe, we're all safe. I promise." Shadowpaw interferes quickly, eyes going soft when he sees the spark of worry shift into something akin to uncertainty. "Last night a human found us; we were apparently in their territory last night." He explains, "Nightpaw managed to talk sense to him before things could get out of hand, and he invited us to his home until things could be sorted."

"They found us?" The girl echoes, trying to grasp on the reality of being caught, " _How?_ It was the middle of the night."

"We crossed a field in the full moon. The male said that he saw something going across the field and he went to check it out. He ended up finding us instead."

Fearpaw vaguely remembers crossing an opening last night, even commenting on the moon as they went through it. Now that she thought about it, the decision had been a stupid one to make; even in the middle of the night the full moon makes it seem like day. Had she been so careless last night, too tired to see sense? 

Shadowpaw tilted his head as the girl sunk in on herself, her expression defeated, his smile reaching farther as he did his best to reassure. "They're really nice people so far." He admits, "Very kind. They've given us food, offered a place to stay while we learn--they've even agreed to house and to teach us things, as long as we pull our own weight."

Now that was something Fearpaw wasn't expecting, far from it actually.

Her first question was easy, stabbing into her brain mercilessly, like a hot blade plunging treacherously into her stomach, a harsh blow to the face; _they've been outed_ , she realized. These humans Shadowpaw speaks of, they know something; they've been _told_ something.

What had they been told?

"What do they know?" Her tone is low, quiet, edging on anger but not yet crossing the gap.

"A lot." Shadowpaw reveals easily, watching the female's reaction closely--as if testing the waters with a very aggressive animal, "Everything, really. Nightpaw thought it would be best to be honest; Camopaw and I both told her not too, but she insisted."

_"And you let her?"_

"What would you of had us do, Fearpaw? Grab her and run away? There's nowhere we can go without running into other humans now."

Burning eyes stare darkly into the male's blue, ideas tossed themselves around inside of Fearpaw's mind as she tries to trail a safe path for them to of taken, but she knew to little of the situation, "Do they know that we're from outside the walls?"

"Yes." Shadowpaw admitted, his voice softening from the gripe he used to defend himself, "They also know what we are, or have some understanding to our capabilities, as Camopaw was stupid enough to demonstrate."

"What did he do?" Fearpaw found that her voice was naturally cold when talking about the other tom. Not that she cared to correct it.

"He cut his arm open and healed in front of them." 

Fearpaw actually scoffed when those words were uttered, but said nothing when Shadowpaw continued, "He would've taken his larger form had I not told him to stop." The blonde raked a shaky hand through his hair before giving Fearpaw a weak look, "I didn't want to wake you, Nightpaw told us to let you rest-- but I didn't know what to-- they were..--It's getting a little out of hand and I'm not sure what to do." He finally manages to admit the terrible feat of keeping the rest of his patrol together.

"Leave it to Camopaw to cause our downfall." Fearpaw muttered as she pulled herself free from the tucked linen around her legs, "Stupid tom.." She cursed, finally out of the embrace before looking at Shadowpaw in a serious sense, "Where are they now?"

"In the lower parts of the den; I think the female called it a kitchen." Shadowpaw responded, blinking owlishly when the girl in front of him rose gracefully, "She's preparing a meal I think."

"Kitchen..?" Fearpaw parrots, the word foreign to her tongue, "Strange." She dismissed after a moment, "Is there a reason we are being granted a place here? Do these humans want something? Holding us as hostages?"

"They say it's because we're young. Human's like to help the younger of their species, coddle them." Shadowpaw supplies, "At least, that is what I've noticed by observing."

"Coddle?" Fearpaw scoffs, blinking when Shadowpaw shrugged, before she huffed darkly, "At this rate I'd rather be a hostage.."

Shadowpaw only proved to feed her annoyance as he grinned humorlessly, "Come on, let's go." He urged, scratching at his scalp as he moved to the door with Fearpaw trailing gracefully behind him.

This wasn't going to be pleasant. Fearpaw realizes, She knew it wouldn't be.

* * *

When Fearpaw's bare feet hit the wooden floor at the end of the stairs, it became apparent that they were in fact not alone in the den. 

A nervous chill wrenched up her spine as a short bout of laughter sounds from the other side of the wall; and while inwardly Fearpaw cowered, her outside self was nothing but stoic and strong. However, deep down, she knew that her scent gave her away and the rhythm her heart pounded to was all known to the tom beside her.

"I can go in first-" He offers, blinking when the brunette shook her head dismissively before moving towards the entrance Shadowpaw pointed to beforehand.

The door opened without restraint, easily pushing from Fearpaw's hand, cracking open just enough for both her and Shadowpaw to trail in, as the sweet smell of something warm and inviting filled their noses to the brim.

Fearpaw recoiled at the smell, Shadowpaw welcomed it with a deep intake of breath.

The room was warm, cozy looking, and from it's inhabitants Fearpaw suddenly felt out of place when she notes Camopaw covering up his smile while Nightpaw talked animatedly to an elderly woman sitting comfortable at a round platform with a white linen thrown over it.

Pale eyes swivel towards the door, catching the movement before Nightpaw's hand dropped from her face and she stood quickly. "She's up?" The raven haired girl questions, obviously knowing the answer as she moves towards Fearpaw's stiff form.

Compliant to a point, Fearpaw's head moved as her healer turned her head down to then press their foreheads together; a welcome greeting on any other day, but it felt out of place doing it here in the presence of a stranger.

"I'm glad you're awake, I was a little worried that you'd run yourself ragged yesterday. We thought it best for you to get some good rest." The ravenette smiled widely up at her leader, friendly affection dancing in her pale orbs, while she huddled close.

"And make decisions without me?" Fearpaw finally spoke, eyes like sparks on a flint, "I thought we were agreed to make decisions collectively, after all, last night's _debate_ you were the first to suggest such a idea." The brunette points out, feeling Shadowpaw's presence leak inside the room to stand beside her.

Nightpaw blinked at the cold sounding sentence, a realization of her actions cooling her frame as her leader blinked down at her, "..Ah, right. I may have stepped out of line. I'm sorry--but I have reasons to believe that these people are trustworthy."

"Trustworthy?" Fearpaw echoes, and Shadowpaw instantly has something to say about it-- presumably finding his confidence now that his friend was present, "You can't be serious Nightpaw? We met them _last night,_ barely said a word to them other than listening to their offers and you said yes without an other solution!"

Pale eyes narrowed at the blonde, testingly, while Nightpaw kept an ear on Fearpaw's unyielding silence, "If you haven't realized, Shadowpaw, we're in the middle of nowhere with no knowledge of anything around other than a handful of barely useful things! We kind of need someone like this to teach us."

Fearpaw looked away from the argument, eyes finding the older female who sat quietly at the table with Camopaw in the chair two spots to her left. Pools of fire meet the woman's soft brown stare-- aged caramel iris stared right back with an undefined amount of softness that Fearpaw just wasn't expecting to be thrown her way.

Taken aback, the brunette girl's brain provided her with the most natural conclusion it could conjure.

_It was strange. The human was strange._

_This situation was strange._

Camopaw noted the look in Fearpaw's eyes, a twinge of annoyance flickering in his emerald stare as he sighed; "We did try to deter her from this." He told the eldest, reluctant to say more,"...But, you are right. This is a collective decision to be made, Nightpaw."

"Says the one who told me that he didn't care about Fearpaw's opinion!" The raven haired girl spat, bristling angrily despite the old woman's face faltering.

At that Camopaw's thin line of patience seemed to snap, _surprisingly not on Fearpaw this time._

"You're putting the blame on me? She already knows that I hate the idea of her being leader, but I'm not saying anything else on that--especially in situations like this!"

Fearpaw felt both comforted and offended by the comment, but decided that it be best if she didn't say anything about it, "I'm here now regardless, though _I would have appreciated being woken up for it._ " She glowered at her healer, deciding that the final blame would be aimed at Nightpaw for the remainder of the day, before she stared at the human female across the room.

"My name is Fearpaw." She greets, brushing her wild hair out of her eyes before drawing closer to the woman who finally managed a large and welcoming smile once she was addressed. "You'll have to forgive my patrol's behavior, but what happens here, know that no harsh feelings have been aimed at you." 

_Yet,_ Fearpaw's brain provides easily.

"My name is Muriel." The elder greets, undertone of a slur donning her voice--something that made her words sound rich and processed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, hun."

"I apologize if the others have caused any disturbance, we didn't mean to meet any of.. _your kind_ , so quickly." Fearpaw supplies awkwardly, "If I'm being truthful, we really shouldn't of met--"

"S'not a problem, sweetie." Muriel insists, cutting the girl off with a dismissive wave, seemingly unaware of the actual problem at hand, "But I gotta say, it's not a problem keepin' ya'll here.. Quite welcome, actually! Ya'll are welcome to stay, we can do whatever ya need to teach ya how to be a human."

"I'm not sure you understand." Fearpaw tries, "We have others who will be searching for us.."

"My husband has set out a sign where ya were. Tellin' other folk that we've brought you here. If they wanna come and getcha, they can. But Terrence wrote down that we'd gladly keep ya, and take care of ya." Muriel speaks with reassurance; but Fearpaw finds herself lost and irritated by the words 'sign' and 'wrote', she'd never heard them before--

What was a sign? And how did it speak the needed information?--

_"We_ don't need to be taken care of." Fearpaw interrupts, defensive even though her politeness kept her voice calm, "Despite our outward appearance, we're quite capable of handling ourselves."

Muriel smiled despite the venomous undertones in the younger's words, "I can tell." She admits, "You look capable, but out there in those woods, it ain't safe for someone who don't know the area."

"How so? True danger is past the walls."

Muriel could only smile wider, if not a little bemused at the accusation.

"An arrow and a bullet can be just as deadly as a titan." She says grimly, and Fearpaw finds herself squinting at the unfamiliar words--words that were spoken with hazard, might she add-- "It's not safe aroun' these parts, and I'd hate to see some kids snatched up by the wrong people, especially when they can't even tell right from wrong."

Fearpaw wants to protest to that, she does; but before her response could be spoken, Muriel quickly adds in hastily; as if trying to ease the pressure that visibly built itself on the girl's shoulders; "Listen, hun. I ain't gonna talk ya in or outta anything, 'specially since you four seem capable of handlin' yourselves, but I just wantcha ta know that ya got my hand in the bucket if you need me."

"And why should we trust you?" Fearpaw dared, finally pinning the boiling scrutiny of her inner self down on the woman, "As far as I'm concerned we have nothing to do with you, and you have no reason for us."

Muriel looked a little embarrassed at that, her wrinkle worn cheeks reddening as she was called out, "Iff'n I'm bein' honest, hun? It's been mighty lonely here on the ranch without little ones of our own runnin' around. I used to teach in schools before I got too old and was replaced by someone younger. I miss teachin' kids, and wouldn't mind helpin' you in whatever ya need."

Stark amber eyes gleam, intrigued with the information, but before she could answer, the door to the kitchen suddenly swings open and crashes against the wall, booming loudly enough to startle the patrol of apprentices and the human female.

"Those damn people!" A gruff and irritated voice spits with so much diastase Fearpaw can feel herself recoil by the sheer toxicity in those words alone. But Muriel, the only one who wasn't stock-frozen in her spot, tilted her head curiously.

"What's got ya in a twist now?" She questioned; her voice dropping to stern and demanding as a scrawny, tall, male treks through the room without a glance to the new face watching him cautiously.

"Our damn neighbors' cows got out again!" He snarled, bristling even under the gentle undertones of the female's voice, "They let their stupid brat of a kid play with the latch again yesterday and the entire herd went through our fence!"

"How much wheat did we lose?"

"Small portion, but I'm still pissed 'bout it." The man waved with a scoff, "Spent a good two hours helpin' Malcolm herd them back into the right pastures this mornin'. He said he'll fix the damage to our fence, _again_." 

"Then no real damage done then. It's not a big deal, Terry."

"It _is_ a big deal when those people can't control their damn kid!"

"Oh fer-, _Maria give me strength,_ Terrence stop bein' such a prickle bush for five minutes." Muriel's eyes briefly went up towards the ceiling in a soft plea, before she snapped back onto the male and gestured to the chair to her right, "Their oldest just woke up, and we're talkin' about plans for them stayin'. Stop yer mopin', sit and listen!"

"Oh?" Like the anger was just a blocked stream, Fearpaw watched in stifled awe as the male's expression switched from downright livid to intrigued within seconds, "And what's our answer?"

All eyes fall on Fearpaw and, despite her best efforts, an uncomfortable chill strikes down her spine with such intensity she could barely withhold the threatening shiver. 

This decision was crucial to their steps forward, but was staying here worth it? _Was staying with two strangers truly worth it?_

_Could they be trusted with their lives?_

She looked to her peers, a silent question doting her brow as she held a few seconds of eye contact with them.

_What do you think?_ Is what the question asked.

Shadowpaw looked uncertain, but hopeful as well. He would willingly go along with whatever Fearpaw decided, no matter what.

Nightpaw was most willing, most trustful of this person. Her eyes shined with hope while her being vibrated with stifled pleas.

Camopaw, surprisingly, was conflicted as well; like he couldn't sniff the right trail out. He looked back at Fearpaw and gave a subtle shrug, leaving her with the last word.

The brunette barely stifled the sharp sigh that wanted to strike from her mouth, and with a unwilling toss of her hand, she gave the two humans a clear nod that confirmed her thoughts, "We stay until our guides return. They'll be the final decision."

"It's a deal then!" Muriel belts out immediately after the younger's words, happy by the answer. She's quick to offer her hand out in a odd way, over the table, held sideways and jutted out, Fearpaw could only look bewildered as the older woman's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"First lesson, when someone comes to greet you, or seal a deal, and sometimes even say goodbye, they offer their hand like so--" She wiggles her short fingers animatedly, "We call it a handshake, it's a friendly gesture." She the reaches farther forward and clasps Fearpaw's hand in her own; shaking it once, firmly but with a gentle squeeze, before releasing it and smiling widely.

Terrence, though undisputedly more silent than Muriel about the response, merely nods with a cup of drink perched precautiously near his lips,

"Welcome to the Hence household."

* * *

Three days passed before they heard anything from Erwin, Levi, and Hanji. And even though words were not directly spoken, Fearpaw could tell by Erwin's concerned look itself that he was cautious about Terrence and Muriel Hence.

They'd been told to stay outside whilst the 'adults' spoke.

Naturally, Fearpaw was against the idea of them plotting behind their backs, but the walls were so thin the girl could easily pick up on the conversation whenever something interesting was voiced. So far nothing important had been spoken, but Fearpaw smartly kept her ears open to the gentle voices leaking through the wooden cracks. 

Just in case.

As the sun set across the walls, sending with it the last of the precious light, the patrol of four sat pensively on the wooden built porch with white stained railings guarding their surroundings. It had become habit for them to sit outside during the last moments of precious light, despite having been told to stay out they would've gladly moved to the porch without anyone telling them too.

Normally, they would just enjoy the peace it would give them; but tonight they were waiting on the news of their next move into the human territory. 

With Shadowpaw curled up tightly to her right, his head resting achingly on the wooden wall of the house, Fearpaw reveled in his warmth as she looked over the bountiful fields of wheat colored in rich orangish-red; her ears conscious of the conversation happening in Muriel's beloved kitchen. 

_This_ hadn't been that bad. Her mind had slowly come to terms with living with Muriel and Terrence. Accepting it, even, to some degree now. Despite the back and forth argument in the back of her head, Fearpaw had to admit that this farm and it's owners were something-- _intriguing._

Muriel was a kind and gentle soul, a guiding hand to hold when something refused to click inside Fearpaw's ever so trained mind of pure survival. Her personality, filled a strange void in the girl's head--not something she could place with a name; but _she could_ say that the elder woman reminded her of Shadowpaw's mother, Pineclaw.

Not that Fearpaw could place a name to Pineclaw's role in her life either, but the two were similar in their own ways. 

Getting Fearpaw out of her condensed shell of stoicism and cautionary mind-set was surprisingly one of the many traits the two women shared.

Fun was a three letter word that never associated itself with the girl. Not in the way it was truly defined, at least. Playing Clan Wars with the other kits in the clan had been, to some length, fun; or at the very least time consuming and energy wasting.

But when Muriel happened to teach Fearpaw the basics of reading, the girl had been far too eager --for her own liking-- to eat at the information that was being given.

Learning was a chore most young would brush aside, to Fearpaw it was something to look forward to. However, learning with Muriel was a gift from Starclan themselves; the girl could sit there for ages, just to let the woman talk.

And Terrence was the barer of hard work; which made the option of staying look even more enticing, now that Fearpaw thought about it. He wouldn't let her go soft, that was for sure; with work like this, Fearpaw was sure that his work could keep them all distracted while the upcoming years churned by.

Of course her patrol was even more on board with the idea now that their conflicts had been shared and talked through, though Shadowpaw and Camopaw both felt both threatened and wary in some sense, but this little farm was starting to look like home the more they stared.

But, it wasn't quite their decision to make in all honestly.

With her silence at it's peak, and the conversation within the household breezing past her ears like a gentle gust of wind, Fearpaw barely noticed the door open to her right until the lantern light from inside blazed the wooden floor with it's bright blaze.

Swirling amber looked up, just to connect with the intense blue that was Erwin's calculating gaze. The man stance was passive, unlike the oddly guarded posture he seemed to wear when first arriving. 

Fearpaw, although silent herself, couldn't help but watch him curiously as he exited the house. "Your decision?" The young brunette questions, her voice alone stirring the blonde boy sleeping beside her. 

There was a pause in Erwin's steps, a collective thought that passed through him and his two comrades as they too joined the majority outside, he shared a look with Hanji; and when nothing was said Levi stepped up.

"Since you brats can't seem stay in one place by yourselves, and since you obviously can't keep your mouths shut about being outside the wall--" "And also about being an entirely different species altogether." Hanji provides hastily, "--We've decided that putting you in a crowded town or city would cause disaster." The raven haired man finishes with an irritated look.

A look that Fearpaw inwardly shared as she stared icily at Nightpaw, who in turn ducked her head in shame.

"So you'll stay here." Erwin concludes, "Mr. and Mrs. Hence will take you four in, educate you, and raise you for a couple of years before you'll enter the military. That should give you enough time. However new names will need to be chosen so you can blend in more, your new guardians will help you choose them."

"Choose our new names?" Shadowpaw questions groggily, obviously half awake, "Darkstar always gives the names. It'd be a little strange to pick our own.."

His sentence earned him a sharp blow to the gut with an elbow, something that made him grunt, as Fearpaw's ears twitch, "It sounds fair, but this will not be a permanent change; I hope you realize this." Her voice hints at a warning, and Erwin plays his best passive expression to soothe the stirred tension.

"I never said it was permanent." He argues, "I'm just telling you that you'll need to get comfortable with being called something more human."

There was still a hostile bristle that locked the muscles inside of Fearpaw's shoulders, but her eyes did lose their fire when the door to the house suddenly opened once more.

Terrence was the one to step out this time; with wrinkle worn hands stuffed into the frontal pockets of his trousers, the elderly man watched the group for a moment before opting to speak. "The ride back is a long'in. Ya'll best start yer way back in time ta rest for the expedition tomorrow."

Hanji took the hint, "I do think it's time we take our leave, Erwin. I'm sure the kids are in good hands here, and it isn't like we can't visit!" Fearpaw's arms tightened around her legs when Erwin's eyebrows lifted a smidgen, supposedly in doubt.

"We'll keep in touch." Terrence offers, hazy blue eyes blinking softly when the blonde man didn't answer, "And I'm sure Muriel will like the company and conversation ya bring."

"Very well." Erwin breathes, giving in at last, while taking one last look to the children with knitted eyebrows, "You're okay with this?"

Fearpaw answered before Nightpaw could; "We haven't much of a choice. But things could be worse, and I won't complain. We will survive."

With her dismissal Levi turned and walked off without another word, Hanji looked at Erwin for a moment before following after her shorter comrade, while Erwin shared a heavy look with Fearpaw; it was clear from this look that Erwin trusted these people about as much as the young leader did, but there was a glint in his eyes that finally dimmed out the rest of his wariness.

When he turned to leave, Fearpaw felt an odd pull in her chest. She really didn't want them to leave, deep down she truly didn't. 

But this is how things were now.

The only thing she could do was to just nod and go along with it, and hopefully adapt to the changes.

With the three figures disappearing into the night, Fearpaw looked over to Terrence just as he cleared his throat. 

The older man smiled thinly, as if trying to be friendly, while reaching back and opening the door.

"C'mon kids, lets go in. Muriel's got supper ready; we'll talk more about this while we eat, alright?"


	6. When We're Human| Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Attack on Clans..
> 
> It's been a little over a year since Fearpaw last saw Erwin, Levi, and Hanji. After the final decision of them being stationed in the Hence household she, alongside her patrol, have worked hard to understand the ways of human life. Learning from Muriel and Terence has been a long and constantly winding road, but within the past time they've learned a heavy amount of information that even Camopaw considers important.
> 
> We see now how they've progressed since their first days in the human's territory.

5 month break, relaxation, and--and..noting down absolutely nothing? Yeah, I have no excuses for my disappearance--nor any form of saying that I'll be more consistent and on schedule-- I'm a terrible human being. But, just know, _lmao,_ I will always be working on an update for this story; I'm in too deep to stop now.

Enjoy the chappy <3

* * *

Two years.

Two years was all they had to learn everything that they possibly could of humanity. 

In the start, Fearpaw may have been doubtful of her patrol’s capabilities; but over the given time span she’s come to realize that adaptability was practically a second nature that had been bred into the clans. 

People like them, they were built to adapt. Fighting styles, hunting tactics, practical ways of survivability-- Like a second nature these features came as easy as the breath in their lungs.

So when Muriel set out a quill and paper, it was a matter of minutes before the four shifters knew how to write the native syllabary, and it was days before they were writing coherent sentences with dechiperable handwriting. 

They flew through the basic teachings, eating away at the information like starved animals; and when Muriel started the harder studies Fearpaw was, unsurprisingly, the only one that excelled for the reason of genuine interest.

_That girl wanted to know everything the humans had to offer, her ancestors be damned if she couldn’t get her hands on it._

So, like any good father, Terrence introduced the map of the Walls-- courtesy of Erwin. And when he explained the reason for the painting imprinted on the large scroll he swears he’s never seen the girl’s eyes light up as gleefully as they did that night. Terrence remembers the smile that overtook Fearpaw’s pale features, the awe-filled swarm that brightened her usually stoic facade, and he’d be lying if he said that it didn’t warm his heart up a little to see her eagerness to learn.

They spent most of that night speaking about the art of navigation. And by that week’s end, she could verify locations like she’d been living in the walls since birth.

How easily they caught on, it was a little unnerving.

But, it kind of made sense. They’ve lived outside the walls for forever, every tip and trick that they know has been through trial and error. All they truly have to do is see something done once before parroting the action to near perfection.

Still. It was chilling seeing these children progress so quickly.

\---

Being drawn up from his morning paper, Terence watched as the teen sitting across from him scanned her work for the hundredth time in the past five minutes. She’d been at this since dawn, and with the way the sun was peeking at it’s highest point it was blatantly obvious that things were coming to a close.

“Your brothers and sister’ll be back soon, ya’ll be headin’ towards Trost soon right?”

The old man, never one to beat around the bush, watched as the girl lifted her head to stare at him. Scorching eyes burning a hole through the paper he covered his expression with.

He then heard shuffling, the girl’s shadow baring through the newspaper moving towards the window slightly as she checks the time for herself, before a low voice responds to his question.

“I guess so--” A breath, short and thought wrangling, “I genuinely thought I had more time to plan this route out for Erwin.” She admits, scoring a hand through her downed hair.

“You’ve been planning a trail for the Survey Corps?” A nod was his answer, and an eyebrow lifts at this movement, “You wanna remind me as to why you've been assigned as that man’s personal navigator?”

“Well, we do know a lot more about the outside world than you do.” The girl smiles, trying her best to stifle the smug after tone that yearned to leak into her voice, “He’s asked me, several occasions actually, to make the best routes possible for his team to take. And because of my help, we’ve been able to make larger maps of the land outside the walls.” She points to a heavily wooded area on the map, “Just past this area Bearclan resides, I’ve been making a safe route around them so the Scouts aren't caught in their territory.”

“I thought the wolves were the territorial ones?”

“Oh they are.” She agrees, her voice serious, “But the bears are wildcards. They’re either pacifists or rampant slaughterhouses.”

“Sounds lovely..” Terrence comments dryly, unsettled now that his daughter has admitted such a thing so casually--then again he should probably be used to this by now-- he shifts in his chair as the brunette smiles warily, too tired looking for her young age.

“Tell me about it. There’ve been several occasions where the bears have murdered just for the sake of doing it. My clan lost two warriors a few years back to wandering Bearclan warriors.” As she speaks she rolls the map up neatly, a twitch in her movement as she suddenly finds the need to hurry, “I’ll have to give a proper warning about them to Erwin, now that I’m thinking about it.” 

Terrence gives her a look, his eyebrows pinching together with some sort of concern that even he couldn’t name, “Fry, you know you’re not in charge of holdin’ the Scouts’ hands right? They can take care of themselves until you’re properly enrolled.”

Something akin to embarrassment crosses the girl’s face, though there’s a smile when her nickname is called, “I know. But I need to help as much as I can--and this feels like the only possible way besides giving food to the refugees in Trost and helping you around the farm..”

Terrence could see that those two were not the only other reasons his adopted daughter, Freya, continued to work so diligently on things like maps; but he wasn’t about to pry. And in all seriousness, Freya didn’t like to share her reasons on things unless asked about it; as long as Terrence didn’t give the notion of wanting to know more, her lips stayed sealed shut and her opinion stayed solely to herself.

Of course, _genuinely_ , Terrence didn’t care enough to pry. Freya’s business was her own; as long as the kids felt safe, happy, and comfortable he knew he was doing something right.

And if these kids needed the nudge of encouragement-- _Terrence remembers the few nights where he’s found the girl curled in on herself on the porch, looking worse for wear, he remembers the doubts and the uncertainties._ _The fear she admitted to having._ \-- he’d be there for them in a heartbeat, that was a promise.

A sigh resounds from the opposite side of the table, and then the croak of the kitchen’s door swinging open. 

“Freya~!” Muriel’s sing-song voice chirps, the elderly woman steps into the room like a man on a mission, and instantly the young teen is deflating with the map clutched loosely in her closed palm, “Chop-chop, kid! Those boys about have the horses ready, the buggy is already packed tight-- _no thanks to you_ \--” 

She passes the brunette, arm hooking around Freya’s waist in order to pull her close while dragging her down closer to press a lighthearted kiss to her cheek. Muriel wasn’t a nitpicky woman, but she had the ability of making you feel bad without trying. Freya looked like she yearned for death as her ‘mother’ released her from her clutches.

“We gotta get ta Trost, unload this food, get our grocery--cause you lot are outgrowing a lot of yer old clothes-- and get back in time for our visitors tonight! I’m cooking big!”

Something clicked in the girl’s eyes, realization that tonight would be a full moon, “Erwin’s coming!” She bursts, head snapping towards Muriel at a frightening speed. “I forgot! How could I forget?! Are the others aware?”

“I’m sure they are.” A slow smile breaches Muriel’s face, big and frog-like, before the older woman nudged the girl towards the door, “You wanna get back in time to see ‘em? You best hurry kid!”

Her hand moves to set the map back down on the table, letting the scroll hit the fine wood, before she waves at Terrence in a hurried fashion. “I’ll see you later!”

“Yup.” The man responds, stifling his chuckle as he watches her rush out of the house. The two elders wait until the sound of a door closing brushes past their ears before turning to each other, “Stay safe in Trost.” Terrence warns, saying the same phrase he’s always said since the fall of Maria.

Muriel leans over, planting a chaste kiss on her husband’s lips, “We always are, Terry. Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen while I got those kids lookin’ after me.”

\----

  
  
  


Morning chatter was nothing new when it came to the streets of Trost; it was a lively place amidst the walls of Wall Rose, now more so than ever due to the devastation that took hold of Wall Maria a couple years back. Ever since the fall of the great outer wall, Trost has been granted an unfortunate spike in population of whom were both homeless and starving due to the lack of land to give. 

Wall Maria had fallen. For how such a thing could happen, Freya was at a stunted loss. As far as her intelligence reached, the wall was solid stone the entire way through; there was no possible way for a titan invasion to hit at such a high and coordinated rate, that is unless the gates hadn't been left ajar by some drunkard soldiers.

Of course, when she was first told about the disaster, it was worded more as an attack. Erwin seemed extremely sure of that gamble, how and why he was Freya didn't know--last she checked no one outside the walls had anything that could amount to that sort of damage.

And most of all, she's certainly never seen a titan large enough to smash a hole through anything like the walls. 

But Erwin had insisted, and worst of all, he seemed to aim his suspicions towards the clans. Which was never a smart thing to admit to someone _in the clans._

Aiming the fault towards the outsiders would be foolish.

But that's beside the point.

Freya doubted that the information they were sent, courtesy of Erwin, was faked in order to get a rise out of the patrol. News and claims of a sixty meter titan, a creature large enough to peek over the tops of the wall, were mailed to their home alongside drawings that describe it in the way witnesses claim.

A skinless, grotesque looking, freak of nature is what Freya would call it-- But the Colossal Titan worked too.

Whichever one it was, all that she knew was that it posed a serious threat to the patrol's mission. And the fact that it 'attacked' the walls merely a month after their arrival was both utterly terrifying _and_ suspicious.

With more lives on the line, now more than ever, Freya urged Erwin to agree for a meeting; back when the disaster had first happened. She wanted permission to seek out this unnaturally large titan, _she wanted to kill it._ And Erwin had permitted it after a week of constant begging.

However. Patrolling the outer walls didn’t seem to help in the slightest.

The most her patrol could do while trailing the pale stone was take out lingering titans that had been trying to claw their way through, and even then those deaths did little to dent the horde already plaguing Wall Maria.

A shame, but there was nothing more they could do. A fine line was already being tested, and Freya was afraid to cross it more.

So they kept their heads down, and tried to help elsewhere.

Bringing us to today where they walked calmly down one of the many roads of Trost, behind a carriage filled to the brim with fresh food for the refugees to have. 

Freya kept a steady pace behind the buggy; Camopaw, to her right, kept the other side guarded from any hands that would want to grab at the goods without any coordinated handouts. All the while, Shadowpaw led the group at the front where he held the reins of two chestnut colored draft horse, who in turn towed the buggy in an almost lazy fashion. On the drivers bench Muriel sat with Nightpaw on her right, holding light conversation, while Shadowpaw steered the group towards the direction of the main square. This was the place where most of the refugees happened to camp, and where food was almost always being handed out.

When Wall Maria fell and refugees were run from both Shiganshina, _and_ the inner wall for Maria, the food rationing had hit an entirely new low due to how many mouths there were to feed now. And after learning that they couldn't do much, besides patrolling the walls every so often, the four shifters were desperate for a way to help.

And Muriel had an idea.

What better way to integrate antisocial, titan murdering, monsters than to set them directly into a distressed crowd of refugees in order to hand out food?

Though their spirits were dampened in the beginning, Muriel had tried her best to reassure the kids that there were still important things to be done. There had been survivors of the attack, and those people would need as much help as they could possibly get. Food was a necessity to all living life, and the Hence household had plenty of farmland and resources to give. 

That, and there were things socially that they needed to learn-- Muriel thought it best that they would learn from people like the refugees, humility would be easy to teach if things came down to it.

And so they did.

The task today was supposed to be quick, and easy; in and out. They were to drop the supplies off, get the compensation for their labor and then leave. Her sister, Natalie, and Muriel would all be heading towards the stalls to get their grocery; and the two toms, including herself, were to head back home with the horses and buggy.

"Crowded today." Camopaw notes thoughtfully as he closes in on the middle of the buggy; Freya does this as well, though she does her best not to comment completely on his observation--most likely this was just Camopaw talking to himself. She offers an acknowledging noise, and breaks it off there; assuming that was all he wanted.

But he surprised her when he turned to ask an actual question, "We've got it pretty made here already." He starts, a catch to his tone that the brunette doesn't fail to miss "But I need to ask you this because you're the only one who still mentions the Military. You're the only one who talks like it's still our goal."

Freya’s eyes cut to the side, watching him with a feral warning, daring him to speak up against the thing they've been working to accomplish for practically two years now. She's not gonna take him backing out now, _not after all the work they've put in to live in this hell hole--_

"When do you think we should actually sign up?" Camopaw questions, taking a brief moment to look around his side of the buggy before he returned his attention to Freya, "I mean, we have a good grasp on how everything works right? What's stopping us?"

The girl pauses at the question, taken a little off guard, but recovers within the second: her mouth opens, ready to form the answer she wanted; but when her attention is suddenly pulled to a nonchalant looking man donning the orange jacket, with a Garrison symbol etched onto the breast pocket, the girl was suddenly evasive of the question.

_Here_ was too public, something may slip-- she thinks, still worried that one day her words may reveal something that the world wasn't quite ready to hear yet.

"We'll talk about it later. With Erwin." She responds, giving her comrade a passive look while praying that he'd understood. There were to many ears around, to many chances of eavesdropping, or someone getting information that could be turned into the patrol's downfall--

_Then again, Freya has been told several hundred times that she's overly paranoid; but the brunette clings to the trait like a squealing kit to it's mother. She needed the caution, it's kept them safe so far._

Camopaw's eyebrow twitches, but he says nothing more as they continue walking towards the main square.

"Silas!" The two teens in the back perk when hearing their 'brother's' name being called, noting the near to sudden stop of the buggy, "Take the horses up to that barn on the right, park 'em at the front, we'll move if we're asked." Muriel instructs smoothing out her dress as Nightpaw readies herself to stand.

Freya looks to Camopaw one last time, her expression edging on the attempts to look reassuring but falling short when the boy at her side huffed lightly to himself. 

"Keep your head." He warns, "I'm not dropping this, so you better be ready to talk about it later." His voice hints at a bitter hiss; but Camopaw somehow manages to keep himself composed as Shadowpaw, _Silas_ , stops the buggy.

Muriel is the first to move, her routine as clear as day in her head, her hands wildly waving towards Freya as the brunette girl peers around the back of the wagon, "Get ready to unpack, I'm gonna go tell the people in charge that we've brought the supplies!" 

She returns within the minute, smiling widely, clapping her hands in order to get the patrol to move--to some degree-- faster, "C'mon, c'mon!" The elder urged, practically nipping at her daughter’s heels as the brunette lugs a sack over her shoulder, "The masses'll be comin' soon, we gotta get the goods ready for the stands!"

"Can't they haul the food themselves?" Camopaw questions, his patience for the day already nearing it's end, "I mean it's the Garrison's job to do this shit right?"

" _Cole Hence_ , _you watch yer language!_ " Muriel shrieked, snapping her head to the tom, her furious volume making Freya wince. The raven haired boy shrunk in on himself, squeezing his eyes tightly as he realizes his mistake, "Sorry.."

Brown eyes, burning with severe distaste, narrow slightly at the teen as if to brand his soul with how much disappointment she currently had. Cole, Camopaw's human alias, keeps his eyes averted and posture submissive to the elder; trying to seem smaller, _despite having a good few inches on the shorter woman._

"Just. Get the heavier things, okay? Can't take ya anywhere without one of those things comin' outta yer mouth.." Muriel grumbled the rest, but she knew well enough that the two shifters at her side could hear her words, "Ya 'bout as bad as Terrence. I don't need another one, hun." Her darker orbs shift towards Fearpaw, who had been watching the exchange passively, "Help him with the heavier stuff, okay? Silas"-- _Shadowpaw's alias_ \--"and I 're gonna work on finding the stands we're supposed to drop 'em at"

"Yes, ma'am." Fearpaw complies, stepping away as Muriel smiles up at her while passing by. She gets a look from Cole, something akin to subdued guilt, but it passes before she has time to reassure him. "C'mon, Freya. Best not to disappoint her further." He encourages quietly, hefting two large crates of potatoes onto his shoulders, her name coming out with a drawl due to his gradually growing slur.

Freya grabbed a few boxes, stacking them till only her eyes peeked over the top, before picking them up and walking after Cole. Part of her still wondered why they were the ones responsible for unloading the goods for the stalls, as it _was_ usually the soldiers present that were in charge of rationing; it seemed lazy that they allowed an elderly woman to take charge of something they were supposed to be in charge of.

Then again, Muriel probably wanted it to be this way; Starclan forbid the woman let anyone else do _her_ job-- _That seemed like a very Muriel thing to do, now that Freya thought about it._

As long as she got compensation for what she did, Freya wouldn't speak up against it, Muriel deserved the world for the things she did for the refugees. 

\--

Setting the stands up hadn't taken them long, and the crowd they drew in was nothing new--as a lot of refugees knew them as the people bringing in food-- but something Freya's never gotten used to is how vicious some humans could be when the masses flooded in.

Had they been back in the clans, the food would _always_ be given to those who needed it; it was always the queens and elders that ate first whilst the warriors and higher ups would eat afterwards. Taking care of those who were unable to care for themselves, it's just how the clans were wired. 

Selfishness was disgraceful, and disrespect led to terrible reputation. Let's just say, Freya knew a lot on how that worked.

However, as far as Freya could tell, humans only knew greed. At least the majority of them did; selflessness was a rare sight to see in public, it was a thing she only really saw Muriel do whilst speaking to some of the refugees. And even so, a mother's patience can only go so far.

The elderly woman was an amazing role model, even if Freya wasn't a willing contender for being polite outside of small talk and common courtesy, everyone out of the patrol but her and Cole seemed to pick up her ways of interaction. Nightpaw, who now goes by Natalie, always looked like she was just a step down from Muriel's peak.

Then again, Natalie was a healer--it was kind of her job to get along with people..

"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't cut the line like that--" Freya's head turned when she heard Natalie’s voice; her eyes yet to focus, but her ears could only twitch at how demeaning the response sounded. How vile this person's voice was, the croak of the desperate attempt of intimidation, how angry the man seemed. She noted how Natalie stood with her chin angled up at a dark haired man, a newly acquired sense of self assurance surrounding the girl as the man's nose wrinkled in a snarling fashion.

_What a fool._

Was all Freya thought as she helped reload empty containers back onto the carriage; uncaring of how tense the situation seemed. She could practically feel Silas’ amusement as a short figure moved away from him, making a beeline for Natalie and the man.

Muriel was on the man like a moth to a flame, a mother bear protecting her already _extremely_ dangerous child-- 

"The hell is wrong with you?!” The shout was loud as the man was pushed away from Natalie, “Thought you lot were about charity and helpin' us weaker folk!" The demand had been met with dozens of curious eyes following their ears, the refugees looked both mildly concerned and not at the same time.

Muriel, ever so intent with her priorities, made it clear that what the man was doing was not tolerable and just had to pitch in her two cents, "Charity is for those who deserve it. Not for people who force their way to the top, I suggest that you take yer spot at the back and wait yer turn. They've got enough food for all a' ya. I made sure of it!" The elder woman, despite her eyes hiding behind her large spectacles, gave the man such a daring stare that even Freya couldn't help but be impressed.

She and Silas shared a glance, something knowing, before looking back to the scene.

For something so tiny, Muriel was formidable. Even Fearpaw, a Catclan warrior, born and bred to face prey which also wishes to eat you, was still frightened by what the elderly woman was capable of pulling off.

And, so it seems, the man was as well.

Which was smart, on his part. Had he tried anything, he would have four very angry creatures on his hands. So, good on him.

Thankfully the man didn't do much outside of stare angrily as Muriel steered Natalie away, warding Cole away as she did just in case the raven haired boy decided to chew out the man further for threatening his healer.

With the crowd now going back to its patient and monotonous self, Freya didn't waste her time mulling over the scene. At this point, after doing this for a heavy portion of her human life, she's become familiar with normal behavior that most people appear to have. 

Large egos, demeaning expressions, loud voices... 

Stepping on a crack was far more rare than seeing a person with such qualities. She'd made the notion to ask Muriel about why they act like so, but all she got in response was a half-hearted shrug and a soft expression. Muriel couldn't really explain why people did the things that they do, she just knew how to handle them.

And in more cases than not, she usually came out on top after a harsh confrontation.

With a croak of a wooden barrel, and a glance over to the red faced woman as she scolded her youngest 'daughter', Freya resumed her job of stacking the empty baskets and barrels. 

She decided to ask about the argument once they've returned home, as Natalie surely didn't need two people at her throat right now.

Silas, however, was far more nosy than herself and kept his eyes locked on the two as he worked. Freya would've scolded him for eavesdropping, but he kept pace with her easily--so really, as long as he was doing his task, she truly had no reason to make him stop; despite it being rude to listen in.

The blonde finally looked back her way, only once Muriel broke away from Natalie, and though he was timid with his first words-- _perhaps secretive would be the better word_ \-- he made sure that his troubles were clearly spoken. 

"That's the fifth time she's gotten herself into a situation like that, maybe it's time we had a little group meeting to do something about it.."

Freya looked up from her spot, crouched, on the buggy; amber-brown orbs gleaming in the sun's newborn rays, "I was thinking the same thing, actually." She muttered a halfhearted agreement, "I think we do need to keep some restrictions down for ourselves, we don't have proper authority to do much of anything yet. At this rate, if she angers the wrong person and they squeal a convincing story, we could all get in trouble for it. I'll have to talk to her later."

Silas' brows knit together for a moment, a pinch of guilt leaking into his gaze, "Is it because I've been training her? In combat, I mean? Do you think she's gotten more confident because of that?"

It was true that the blonde male had been teaching Natalie the basics of combat--both in and out of beast forms; they'd found a secure spot in the mountains nearby the house, where they could safely shift and hide, so training would be efficient in both bodies.

Because of this, Freya had no doubt in her mind that the newly acquired skills were a boost in her 'sister's' confidence.

But Silas was not to blame, not _entirely_ at least.

Freya had her input, so she was equally to blame in some sense.

However, in the end, it was Natalie's choice in how she used her new skills--perhaps it was ultimately her fault for these past few encounters with aggressive humans.

So the brunette shook her head, making it clear that she was dismissing the accusation Silas set upon his shoulders. "Try not to think about it. Natalie needs to know that she is not invulnerable because she received a few fighting lessons and a couple pats on the back." Freya's eyes squint as she considers a second idea, "Now that I think about it--perhaps we could set an escort when she goes off alone, or with Muriel.. Just to keep her in line.”

Freya lets out a soft sigh, her gaze resuming it’s place looking over the crowd in order to watch Muriel and Natalie interact, there was a feeling that ate away at her stomach but at this point there was nothing else she could do to help anymore.

“That’s probably best.” She said, sounding adamant, “We’ll talk more about it later, I already told Cole that we’d talk about our military situation.”

Silas nods once and a silence takes the two’s company until their siblings and mother return. Muriel tells them to ride carefully on the path home and that she’ll return home, with Natalie and groceries in tow, before sunset.

They depart with a suffocating clog of dread coiling in the throats.

\---

Through the golden stalks of wheat, the evening sun scorches the land with it’s fire-esque glow; from the porch, Cole watches the sunset with darkened hues staining the spots beneath his eyes. Leaning back in the homemade rocking chair he let himself relax, ears open for the tell-tale clop of hooves in the dirt trodden road.

The ride home from Trost had been unbearable, only in the sense of the atmosphere around Freya and Silas being so terribly tense. Part of him wondered why, but the thought of not knowing didn’t bother him much either. For all he knew, they could’ve disagreed on what to have for dinner--

With a tired breath the boy leaned back in the rocking chair, his feet kicking up so he could prop them on the old railings of the porch, while he scraped a hand through his hair.

His fingers tugged at the long strands of raven hair, and in the moment Cole entertained the thought of getting Muriel to cut it. A few months ago, before his last cut, Natalie had taken a liking to braiding part of his longer hair--he wondered if she’d do it again, if he kept it long, if only to give him the attention.

Lost in his thoughts, Cole didn’t hear the screen door behind him open; nor did he see the person standing lazily in the corner of his peripheral. 

Freya was watching him with a quiet muse; her dark brows furrowed as her own staggering thoughts plagued her mind. Eyes only darkening when she saw the daydreaming expression that had plastered itself on the male’s face; the gentle, yet unfocused, twirl of hair around his finger.

She’s seen it all before, Cole wasn’t exactly known for his subtly after all.

Taking a breath, Freya steps forward and leans against the railing a few feet to the male’s right. With her figure coming into vision; Cole blinks away his thoughts, as his eyes move to look at Freya.

“You swooning again?” The brunette questions, and Cole’s neck flushes with tempered embarrassment. There’s a swirl of amusement that casts itself in Freya’s gaze, she’s happy she can have moments that catch Cole off guard; though she makes sure to keep any mockery off her expression, she doesn’t want to hurt his feelings. “Don’t worry, my mouth is sealed. And Natalie is as clueless as ever.” She reassured as the rocking chair at her side clattered in an unguided fashion.

Her arms were crossed against the rail, pressed into the wood as she moved her weight forward to get comfortable; she was aware of Cole moving, even if she couldn’t see him anymore, his presence was always noticeable on her radar. The wood of the porch croaked, bracing his weight, before the taller male was seen leaning back against the rail to Freya’s left. 

He exhaled softly, neck still flushed; though he seemed to collect himself. He looked over at his elder, and raised a brow, “You were quiet on the ride home,” He brought up, “You and Silas both. And before you lie to my face I’d like to tell you that I’m not as stupid as you think me to be.” 

Sharpened green clashed with scorched amber, and the two stare at each other for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Freya was pissed at the jab, while Cole was angry with his own accusation.

Freya, being the bigger person, was always one to speak the truth; albeit in the bluntest ways possible, “It’s Natalie.”

“What about her?” 

“She’s getting careless.” Freya states, “You’ve seen the arguments she’s been getting mixed up in, the things that she starts.” Cole’s brows twitch, but he makes no move to comment, “She’s been getting overconfident, I believe it’s something to do with her training recently, but I wanted to tell you that I want her to be watched closely for now.”

“Are you tasking me with babysitting?” Cole groans, “You’ve gotta be kidding me..”

“No. I am asking you to not fight against me, I can't keep her in line with you coddling her every second. Though I'm not opposed to help, if you're willing to give.” The brunette corrects, brows tight with concern “This is for her own good. And it keeps us safe too.”

Scorched eyes lift as movement catches their attention; on the road, three figures riding horses can be seen.

Freya reaches down to pat Cole’s shoulder, urging the male to set aside this problem for now, “Our guests have arrived, don’t overthink this decision; for now let’s enjoy tonight.”

Something neutral takes over Cole's expression, his sharp stare turning passive as the displeased crinkle in his forehead smoothed over; with the sudden switch in character, Freya doesn't dwell much on their conversation as she waves towards the riders on the road. The situation with Natalie could be resolved at a later date, the patrol themselves needed to have a conversation--not just talking behind the girl's back-- Right now, news from Erwin came first.

The rider on the left waved back at them, excitedly so, and Freya knew automatically that it was Hanji. With a small smile crossing her face, Freya watched as they tied their horses to the designated posts, before the three humans stopped at the foot of the porch stairs.

"Evening." Cole drawled, blinking passively when Hanji rushed up the steps to grab at his leader. "It's been so long!" The elder brunette gushed, "Far to long! Look at how big they've gotten, Erwin!" Hanji whipped around with Freya still in her hold, being uncomfortably yanked around as she was showed off for the two men.

Erwin's eyebrow twitched, subtle amusement in the gesture, as he responds, "It's been two months, Hanji. They haven't changed much.." "What do you mean?! Freya's facial features alone have defined! And let's not gloss over how Cole has lost the majority of his baby fat!" She grabs Freya's chin as if to prove a point, and the girl squirms at the unwanted touch, "I know we were unable to have a meeting last month, Hanji. But please, you know how much I dislike the hugging thing."

"Oh!" Freya feels the arms around her release, and suddenly it's easier to breathe, "Right, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." The younger manages, before looking to Erwin and Levi, "I've got those routes ready for you, finished them today, there's some things I need to address in them; but that's something we can discuss over dinner--"

"We have news for you and your patrol as well," Erwin reveals quickly, before Freya can turn for the door, "Military sign ups will be up in three days. We want your patrol in this year."

Freya took pause at that, her eyes going wide, "You're serious?" She inquires, heart jumping at the thought of finally being able to move forward with the plans. Erwin nods, and Freya exchanges a pleased look with Cole; they've been waiting for this news for a while now, it was nice to finally hear it. "About time." Cole comments, pushing off the railing, "We can talk about it over dinner, c'mon."

~~~~

"Baring south from your original paths Bearclan's made their den. I can't confirm whether or not their elders have moved them, but last known location is in the middle of these dense forests." Freya supplies as Erwin looks over the newest rendition of the map. "They migrate?" He questions after a moment's thought, genuinely curious.

"No, they just move to different dens every so often; it's a territory thing. I'm not sure why they do it. I've heard from our Starteller, a long time ago, that they move dens as preparations for the upcoming weather. Higher up for rainy seasons, dense trees for warm season; a valley every now and then for when we have white rain--" "Snow." Terrence supplies, and Freya winces with the correction. "Right. _Snow_."

"So what do you propose we do next expedition?"

"Don't break into the trees." Freya says immediately, "They don't stalk the plains like the wolves do. And they don't mark the tree line, they mark just before it. They're big, so it's easy for prey to spot them in open areas, which is why they tend to live in such dense areas. As long as you don't get close to these areas," A sun kissed hand traces the border outline, marking it, "You should be okay."

"You said Bearclan was closest?"

"In the direction you're heading, yes. Eastward you have the area Wolfclan takes, West is for Bearclan, and straight South is for my clan." As she explains this to Levi's curious stare, she gradually pulls her finger off the map and onto the table where those areas _should_ be. "You haven't had the time to explore there yet, but when you have I'll be happy to map their territories as well."

"Well if you're in the Cadet Corps you won't be able to do that." Levi point out, "You'll be too busy for us to make meetings, so until then we'll just have to rely on old methods."

Freya hadn't thought of that, and it seems neither had Erwin. With a frown tugging on her lips, she offered what she could in order for reassurance, "I could try to map it from memory. But..it's just been so long since I've seen any of it, I don't know how accurate it would be.." Erwin shook his head, "If you're not a hundred percent then it's not something we should worry about. We have the general directions of the territories, we know which spots to avoid, as long as we have some type of trail I'm sure we can make this work."

Freya shrugged, _as long as Erwin was okay with it she wouldn't lose sleep over it,_ before finishing off what little bit of stew she had left over in her bowl. From behind Natalie and Hanji were hunched over a different table, Natalie consoling the other as she furiously noted down the things being said. Knowing the biology of the clans was something healers were taught at a young age; and if the slightest bit of information about blind spots and weaknesses could help protect the convoy, Hanji would surely take it all with a wide grin.

There was a pause in the area that surrounded the three discussing the maps, though it was nothing uncomfortable; but Freya knew that if she didn't ask the questions that plagued her mind now, thoughts would go unanswered. "When we find our signups, what are we to do after? Will it be explained or is this just another 'natural' things you humans tend to do?"

"You will be told what to do," Erwin answers, reassuringly. "And I implore that you do _everything_ that you're told to do, well--everything training wise at least, don't blindly agree to just anyone--" Hanji stammers, knowing good and well that the teens would take her seriously. "You're there to please your instructor. Do well under their training and you'll be just fine." "So assume the things the instructor would want us to do." Freya clarifies, "And listen to our superiors."

"That's about it." Levi nods, and Freya finds herself relaxing a bit, "That doesn't seem so hard.."

"--OH! And try to stay out of trouble! You're going to need to play nice with the other cadets, camaraderie and all that."

The rooms attention all of a sudden falls to Cole's placid form as he leans back in his chair, a feeling of dread pooling in Freya's gut as she realizes the difficulty of their soon to be new lives..

" _Maybe_ I spoke too soon."


	7. This Place Is Wild..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Young Warrior patrol finds themselves at the mercy of the Military, let's see how far they manage to get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys! I wrote a lot, cut a lot, and changed a lot from the story's first iteration and I hope this 7,000+ monster will make up for my weeks of inactivity <3

Thick dust lined the air; it was dry, hot even for those standing in shade, miserable to those not used to the temperature, and terribly bland for a field trampled to hard dirt. Every breath was suffocating to breathe, it clogged Freya's throat with every inhale; like inhaling hellfire and soot. And that wasn't even the worse part that came into play.

Freya was set center in the seas of young bodies, squished and packed tight by orange coated teenagers; the lineups were very generous for the Military signups, so it seemed, as hundreds of heads lined the trampled field. On the side of being crammed between Natalie and a young male that seemed to be sweating twice as much as anything naturally should, the smell of anxiety was vastly overwhelming; as was the overpowering stench of sweat. The people surrounding her were collectively, though unintentionally, killing her with their smell alone.

At this point she'd rather the stench of the refugees over these nerve-racked cadets. Preferring their stench over this putrid smelling waterfall of adolescent anxiety, body odor, and things Freya would rather not acknowledge. Some were more nervous than others, apparently.

To say that the smell was killing her would be a bit dramatic, but it certainly felt like she was choking. And it wasn't even something that her own nerves were doing, this time! Sure she was at unease, but these people had no idea how to keep their emotions in order--! Fear scent was practically wafting from nearly every single body! ... _Could they not smell it?_

Could--..?

Freya nearly scoffed at herself.

_'Could they not smell it?'_

Really?

Her forgetfulness on how human senses works could really be striking at times, she feels so stupid when she realizes the slip-up; it's happened so many times now, she's not even surprise anymore..

Of course humans couldn't smell these things, their senses were so poor compared to her own, it was almost laughable at how useless their noses and ears could be--they couldn't even _see in the dark!_

Withholding a sigh, Freya focus back on the situation at hand. Locking back onto the broad shoulders of Silas as he stood, at attention, in front of her. They had been here for a while now, two hours at least, and though the heat was eating away at her mind, boring her to death, it was evident that even Silas was starting to get a little antsy for the next move.

That morning, her young patrol had gotten through signups with little trouble; a few confusions on how things were supposed to work, but nothing they couldn't handle. Naturally, Freya had ignored any outside help--but in this case, one of the nearby assistants that were standing idly by the signup sheets had gotten a call to clarify some paperwork.

Despite the hiccups, however, Freya and her patrol stood strong while scattered among the sea of tense teenagers.

All waiting with baited breath as a man screamed profanity and insults into the crowds.

Keith Shadis was not a friendly man at face value, Freya had deduced that much by herself. He looked, sounded, and _smelled_ angry; and she hadn't even met him face to face yet. To Freya, Commander Shadis looked to have a constant cloud over his head; something that _constantly_ blocked anything that shined, or was remotely happy, from his eyes and destroyed any form of self confidence. If you asked the young warrior what her first impression of the angry man was, she would say that Keith Shadis could _easily_ rival the angriest moods she's seen Oilfur in.

And that was saying something, because Oilfur was always in a ugly mood.

Shadis was loud, obnoxiously so, he seemed to revel in degrading the cadets in his care, and his voice projected every spoken word as aggressive. Seriously! At his first word he had everyone's undivided attention, he even had some people shrinking back from the stances; and at his second word, Freya could feel a headache form at the front of her skull.

She worried for those with faint hearts, as they would surely crumble under this man's scrutiny. But she supposed that if they couldn't take the heat, then they should've never enrolled. Here was no place for the weak, and Freya was determined to make sure that she wasn't seen as anything _weak;_ she'd look this man in the eyes and she'd speak her words without flinching.

When she finally gets another look at the commander he's seen yelling at a small blonde teen, they look terrified, rightfully so, but Freya becomes acutely aware that Shadis is now on the row that Silas has been stationed. The yelling to her right becomes mute as she focuses on Silas' posture, trying her hardest to read him without seeing his face or hearing his voice. She knows he's afraid, intimidated most likely, by the smell he emits-- it's fearful to the taste, and it leaves a bitterness in Freya's mouth as she swallows back the comfort she wishes to give.

Silas hasn't been this rattled in a while, not since they left the clans to pursue Darkstar's goals. It kind of hurt seeing him like this; but then again, Silas has never been good with pressure--or with aggressive teachers. Poor tom was probably praying to Starclan, begging for Commander Shadis to pass him, but past experiences were prone to tattle on his steeled facade. Even hidden in the deepest, darkest, depths of his mind Silas couldn't hide the truth from himself.

Feeling her stomach coil uncomfortably, waiting for the drop, Freya's eyes shift to the right and lock onto the smaller form of her patrol's healer. Natalie stood, shoulders squared and stance wide, with her chin up and a defiance dancing in her golden stare.

_Right_ , _this was a problem too._

Her healer looked more self assured than Silas, and that was saying something for the normally upbeat tom-cat. How this newfound confidence came to be, Freya was still stumped; but it was clear that Natalie was no longer pulling her punches.

And if Freya was being honest, she wasn't entirely sure how she needed to feel about it.

~~

_The night before the patrol were to enroll, Muriel had insisted on going all out on a feast for them. Freya wasn't entirely sure as to why she wished to waste such an abundance of food on them, as they were leaving at first light, but something told her--it could of been the pointed look Terrence shot her way-- that she shouldn't question such things, and that it would've been best to just play along with Muriel's tendencies._

_The room had been filled with warmth, and with hunger inducing smells, it was apparently a 'perfect moment' as Muriel deemed it._

_Freya had been discussing the opportunity of visiting would be available when Natalie had piped in, supposedly she hadn't liked the fact that time off for the cadets were scarce. Terrence had assured her that it was normally that way, and Freya had briefly wondered how he even had that knowledge, but Natalie was persistent._

_"I'll find ways to visit, I promise Muriel!" A smile, too painful to look at, graced her round face; and it took everything in Freya to not interrupt the moment then and there with a blunt comment. Muriel, thankfully, look sympathetic at the statement, "Natalie, I'm not sure that they'd let you leave without permission--" "But as long as we're not busy, we'll be able to leave! Right?" Black hair licked at small shoulders as Natalie tilted her head, pale eyes darting to her patrol for further backup._

_Cole made no move to break from his meal, his daunting stare staying pinned to his plate; all the while, Silas' mouth twists with the mute words he wasn't sure how to say._

_In the most friendly way she could manage, within the moments of silence that followed, Freya stated how these ideas would hinder progress. "Our task is to get into the scouts. If we disobey our higher-ups, Natalie, we could be kicked out--and then what are we to do?"_

_Natalie had scoffed at that, "But I would only leave after I've finished my tasks, that is what we're to do in order to gain their favor. That seems correct, no?" "It is still best that we get consent from the instructors, Natalie. We could all get in--" "I should be able to visit family whenever I wish, what if one of them were to fall ill, what then?" A hand gestures to the two elders in question, both looking uncomfortable as the argument continued to boil._

_Disbelief crosses Freya's features, her hand dropping on the table loudly at what she was hearing--Had the world shuddered off any means of sense?_

_Silas had winced at the thump of Freya's hand, blue eyes squinting as he hurriedly tried to diffuse the situation before it could spark any farther-- "Look. Let's just focus on what we came here to do; who knows Nat, maybe if we play by their rules we can get more time off?" Natalie seemed to consider the thought, far longer than she had for Freya, before her lips twisted in uncertainty._

_"I guess..But I really want to be able to visit them often.."_

_"You never know, Nat! Maybe we can.." Silas reassures, smiling warily when Freya blinks owlishly--still stunned at how her words were so blatantly disregarded-- but no words came from her mouth. It was obvious that their leader knew when not to insert herself further; but Silas was aware that this had wounded her greatly, he could only hope that time would heal this unsettling score._

_However, the subject still seemed to linger in Natalie's eyes. And as a strained silence took the table, briefly broken by Muriel and Silas in hopes to spark something new, the young healer was quick to look back at Freya. Like a string pulled taut, ready to snap, Natalie took a breath a gestured to the door leading outside: obviously she wanted to talk. But what she wanted to speak about, Freya did not know._

_So she caved, excusing herself from the flavorful meal, before standing with straightened posture and leaving towards the door._

_Muriel would've protested, but Cole's head was quick to shake as Natalie stood as well. The elders were missing the key piece to their mysterious communications, but they believed everything to be alright as the two toms stayed locked into their meals._

_\---_

_"You are upset." Natalie states as soon as they leave the comfort of the inside's company, "Is it to do with me? Or does something else ail your mind?" She falls into her old tongue, the one she used to have back in the clans--it's professional, and would seem unfriendly had Freya not known her well. It's easy for them to fall back into their old mannerisms, their inner selves were far more suited for blunt communication anyways._

_Apparently compassion was a rarity amongst the clans. Humans surpassed them in the ways of companionship; though where their loyalties were pointed, could be questioned._

_"I am unhappy." Freya responds after a moment, her insides settled now that she was being confronted one on one--it was always easier speaking without an audience-- "With many things." Scorched orbs are intense, though there is no true heat behind them--only uncertainty-- they shift forward and lock onto the wheat coated fields surrounding the house; boot covered feet step forward, and Freya finds herself causally leaning against the porch railings._

_"My ears are open." Natalie offered, face passive, she wants to understand the suddenly spark of anger that pulsed from her friend. There's miscommunication that they've both missed, apparently, and she wants to mend the stitches before it tore into pieces._

_"Tell me why you think our mission is important." Freya states, a guarded look taking her face as she watches a pair of doves dive into the field. Natalie frowns at the words, letting them sink in and process before she answers, "Darkstar asked this of us." She began tentatively, "I believe he thinks the Starteller's morals are naive. They wanted us to integrate with the humans as quickly as possible, while Darkstar proposed a more cautionary approach."_

_Freya hums, but says nothing, it allows Natalie to continue._

_"The Starteller dislikes that we are here, and I'm sure they did not enjoy the fact that we aided Darkstar in smuggling the humans away. I can only assume that we are outcasts to the majority of our clan right now."_

_Freya inhales, deep and calming, "Do you think that Darkstar is correct in taking the cautionary approach?"_

_Natalie rocks back on her heels for a moment, blinking at the question before taking a few steps closer until she stands beside her leader, "I think it is better than dropping an entire clan of savages into a society of creatures like humans. Can you imagine what that would've been like?"_

_Images of her people chained and imprisoned stained Freya's mind; and the fact that Erwin and Hanji both confirmed that, that would've of been the most likely outcome did not help._

_"It would be a poor outcome for our people." She admits, "An outcome I would've hated to see."_

_Natalie nods, placidly so, and leans into the other. Her warmth is unrivaled, even if Freya is unhappy with her behavior; Natalie's affection is overwhelmingly sweet. "Was there a reason for your question?"_

_Freya does not reciprocate the half embrace, for she had a feeling that her next words would bring negativity and distaste from the other female. "I fear your heart is not in the right place." She reveals, "Your recent behavior has been concerning me, you've been worrying me with how bold you're getting."_

_There's movement off of her shoulder, before a pair of pale eyes stare up at her, "Is it wrong that I wish to help?"_

_Guilt pierces Freya's being, "It's not, but you're trying too hard. Fearlessness leads to carelessness, and if you anger the wrong person and it could get us all in trouble. Muriel and Terrence included.."_

_Natalie blinked, something twisting in her gaze as she moves to lean against the railing instead. "Will you listen to my words?"_

_Inwardly Freya's conscience bemoans at the suggestion, outlandishly impatient and tired, but Freya is desperate to be the better leader--to learn from past mistakes, and to feed off of her former mentors' instructions; she will not let Frostbite and Darkstar down.-- Years ago, before her days as an apprentice, she was taught that an understanding of perspectives could better pave the way to a better future._

_'One may not agree with the many trails before them, but to understand their directions could help your travel be less disordered.' She remembers a thin hand coiling over her shoulders as her foster mother, Pineclaw, lectured her on her behavior towards the other kits. And though she still loathes Cole for his actions against her, to this day, she will never forget the day she learned of the tom's struggles to please his father and mother. 'And we never know..Perhaps your want to understand will help to guide others as well..'_

_"My ears are open." The brunette reassures, pushing away the whine of protest that singed her mind._

_Natalie swallowed thickly, her shoulders tensing, "I..care about the humans. Perhaps..more so than I should." She reveals, unsure, "They are weak, dependent, and they are desperate. I sympathize them for how utterly useless their masses seem to be; they have to rely on people like Erwin, Hanji, and Levi for protection--it's..sad that they don't have the freedom we have in the clans.--"_

_"--They are unable to protect themselves from titans, they're basically animals pinned in wait for slaughter. Most are incapable of hunting, and more often then not, they end up on the brink of starvation waiting for someone to give them food. They don't have the luxury of living on a farm like we do, they were not born into the hunt like you..It makes things seem unfair, is it wrong that I wish to help more?"_

_Freya chewed the inside of her cheek, her fingers tapping against her arm as she processes the information, the warm spring air warming her bones as she turns to consider Natalie. She couldn't lie, even if it felt like the correct thing to do, she couldn't do it to Natalie. Being truthful in this situation would hurt the younger girl, Freya knows this, but she's also aware that healing a scrape is far easier than healing a broken limb._

_"Freya..?"_

_"I..could see this happening." The leader's voice in pensive, soft, "You are affectionate, and kind-- you dislike seeing others in pain; so it was easy for me to realize that this mission would not be an easy one for you personally to endure. But Darkstar had confidence that you could get through this, and I know that you are strong. You've trained nearly every day since the start of our new life in order to be stronger-- but it's not just about being strong, Natalie. We have to be smart as well. I want to help more, but if I do anything else it could potentially lead to us being found out--What we're doing now? It's enough. Believe me when I say that once we enroll into the Scout Regiment, that we will be able to do so much more these people.--"_

_Natalie looked unsure, "But why must we wait?"_

_"Because if they realized what we are, without anything good to back up our cause, we would be caught and treated as savage animals." Freya tells her, "We would be killed, or worse--Erwin even confirmed it."_

_"How can we be so sure that their first reaction is that of negativity, Freya? How can you be so sure of this?"_

_..._

_"Because it is in every living thing's nature to fear what it does not understand. And if they have weapons that are capable of killing titans, they can use them on us as well." Freya reaches out, working calloused hand over Natalie's, in order to supply some sort of anchor for the girl to steady herself on. "We must be cautious in our steps forward, I refuse to see my own get hurt, so for now I need you to trust me. Okay?"_

_Natalie let out a soft sigh; moving her hand in order to grasp Freya's hand back, squeezing it tightly as she does, "I will follow your lead for now." She responds, leaning back into the brunette's side, "I will follow for now."_

_~~~_

"And what's your deal? You lanky twig!" 

Freya snapped back into the real world as a shout cracks past her ears, looking forward she focuses back onto Silas' shoulders, just as the blonde teen in front of her jolts in fright. Silas is quick to salute, his right fist curling inwards as he sets it upside-down on his chest, his left arm locking behind his back; the teen squares himself. His salute is strong, and outwardly he looks imposing-- however Freya can smell the terror that bubbles from inside Silas, he's cracking, but Freya is proud of him for trying to stay collected

"That's better! Tell me your name, Cadet! Or are you going to ogle your shoes again!?"

The taunt is evil sounding, it pokes and prods at any built confidence and trips up the unsteady beams that hold it up. 

_Commander Shadis knows what he's doing.  
_

Freya's ears are honed in and focused, awaiting the rehearsed reply that Silas knows off the top of his head; but when the blonde opens his mouth, everything seems to spiral downhill.

"I-.." Silas' voice breaks off into a small squeak, confidence shattering while his words fumble out in a jumbled mess of unintelligible noises. He loses two sizes off his original height as the commander bristles in a fury, seemingly appalled at this reaction, and as Silas shrinks back in a flinch Freya can't help but cringe at.

"What was that cadet?!" Commander Shadis barks the question, tugging his own ear in a mocking fashion, "I can't understand you when you're pissing your pants!"

Silas needed to get a hold of himself: was Freya's thought at first.

He needed to keep his cool, and show that he was capable of handling whatever the commander was throwing at him. Obviously he was, as they were quite literally _out of the humans' realm of knowledge._ They were warriors, and he's seen death itself standing before him hundreds of times--and each time he's overcome it!

But right now, he wasn't doing a good job projecting his capabilities; at all, actually. In fact, he was currently making a fool of himself. 

With an exasperated twinge in her expression, a emotion that darkened her eyes' already scorched colors, Freya clears her throat and quickly moves to salute. Her position mirrors that of Silas' just before he was yelled at, though she seems a lot more casual with how she holds herself, managing to meet the commander's eyes with little to not effort. Her posture sings self assurance, she's not about to fear something as dull as a _human_ with a loud mouth and angry words. 

She was a hunter, _a warrior. She kills titans for food. She was worth something important, as was Silas. This loud, and angry, man was nothing compared to her._

Commander Shadis' aggression sways to her immediately, but before he can snarl her way, Freya is quick to introduce herself and Silas. She cannot enforce the authority that desperately wishes to leave her, but she can have a backbone. No one told her that she couldn't, she'll just have to be smart about it.

"Freya Hence, sir!" She announces, before gesturing to Silas with her chin, "He is Silas Hence, my brother, he's not very good with communication--he has a speech impairment-- you'll have to excuse him if he stutters!"

The instructor lets her words sink in, briefly considering them, before shaking his head, "A brother-sister duo, huh?" He inquires, words full of distaste, "Tell me, _Hence_ , why the hell did you bring a stuttering mess to the military; you want pity points? You don't get that kind of shit here, _Hence_!" His mouth breaks into a sharp grin, and it takes everything in the brunette to withhold backlash.

Swallowing back the flames, she manages to grate out a respectful--"Not at all, sir! We joined in hopes to help make a difference in the world!" 

Freya felt like a broken record after saying that, the phrase had already come out of so many other mouths; and by the look on the instructor's face, she could tell that he was tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. Tired of it, the elder dismisses them with a final warning directed towards Silas. It alone makes the boy look down in shame.

"Word of advice? You won't last a week coddling each other; learn to not leech off your sister-- _and learn to speak!_ Then we'll see how you'll do." Shadis stands to his full height, sunken eyes staring daggers down at the teen, " _If you do anything._." Freya could feel herself bristle at those words; inwardly of course, though it took everything in her to not glare heatedly at the man as he continued down the line of unfortunate souls.

Silas released the breath he'd been holding, his taut muscles relaxing as the attention left his form, he swallowed; and it was loud enough for Freya to hear, even over the sound of her own pounding heart. He dared a glance backwards, chin barely grazing his shoulder, his blue eyes were tight with fear. Freya wanted to reach out, wanted to soothe the tom's nerves, but she could still see the helpers looking at the crowds--

She _really_ shouldn't do anything else to grab attention..

Knitting her brows together, Freya mustered the most sympathetic look she could. Her scorched eyes softening as Silas' shoulder shook briefly.

There was silence, muted yelling in the background, before Silas turned forward and settled back into his neutral stance. They could discuss this later, recuperate, heal this wound, it wasn't a good start-- _but it was a start!_

Freya screwed her eyes shut, trying her damnedest to keep herself steady; this was fine! This was perfectly fine, there were work-arounds to this..

Broken from the tension, Freya drops her salute and folds her arms behind her back again; a shaky, though quiet, noise left her lips. Reopening her eyes she lets the fields of cadets swarm her vision as she tries to push back her boiling panic. Panic wouldn't solve a thing, and Freya knew it. _She genuinely just wanted this day to be over, at this point.._

But before she could fall back into the monotony of waiting for the lineups to be dismissed, a hand rests against her forearm.

Looking to the side, briefly startled, Freya meets the eyes of Natalie.

The younger looks a little out of it, frightened by the exchange she had witnessed, if not a little surprised that Freya had done what she did, but Natalie does not voice her thoughts. Freya shook her head subtly, opting out of the interaction before something else happened, Starclan forbid they get a lecture for talking to each other during lineups.

A pang of dread coiling in her stomach as the realization of the past few minutes dawned on her once more.

_That had not followed the plan, at all. That had not been subtle._

_That had been extremely out of the box behavior.._

Withholding her displeasure, Freya turns to look forward once more.

This wasn't a good first impression. She's almost sure that they would have eyes on them now, if not more than before.

This was not good.

\--

As the lineups come to a close, and the cadets are dismissed for dinner, Silas finds himself at the mercy of auburn eyes. Freya's body slips past him, a head of brown hair brushing past his shoulder; her presence like an embrace from behind, it's warm, but it's oh-so very suffocating. Freya is quiet as she passes him, the pensive expression that lines her face is frightening, but there's an gesture to follow when her fingers curl up. 

Like a kit to it's mother's call, Silas follows blindly. 

Freya leads them towards the mess hall, Silas right behind her as she takes pause at the trails that break away to the cabins. She looks briefly to Silas, eyes flickering to the Male's Bunkhouse, before she nods at him dismissively. "Go get out of your uniform, then meet me back here; we'll go to dinner together." She told him, taking lazy strides towards the Female's bunkhouse. He watches her go, painfully aware of the guilt that builds up in his chest, before he turns and makes his way towards the cabin.

Silas doesn't run into many people on his way there and back, or if he does he's far too nervous to notice, after tucking his things away and buttoning his shirt, he returns to the mess hall and sees Freya waiting there patiently with Natalie screwed to her side. The brunette is wearing a long button up, a brown vest hugging her lithe frame, her hair is up but it's in a looser bun than before.

His leader looks oddly relaxed, but Silas does not want to fall into this lull of false security. He keeps his guard up as he approaches.

Natalie smiles warmly at him, as she always has, and steps closer when he halts beside them. "How are you feeling?" Natalie questions kindly, and Silas feels half of himself warm underneath her consideration, the other half crumbles when Freya tilts her head in question; again she's placid looking, but Silas _knows better_. He manages a smile, a weak one, for Natalie, "I'm okay, just a little shaky s'all.."

"We should really get you something to eat," Natalie mutters, taking in his paler-than-average complexion, "Being in the sun for so long probably didn't help, at all--" The healer is looking at him intently, scolding him softly, but all Silas can feel is those damn amber eyes watching his every move.

Silas shakes his head, a weak attempt at protesting, "We should wait for Cole to come." He says, eyeing Freya's expression warily, "And then we'll head in for dinner." 

It was obvious that Natalie didn't like this answer, but Freya seemed content as she looked over the fields passively. The distant running figure on the track taking her attention; she talks as she watches the person move, "How long is Potato Girl supposed to be running?" Natalie turns to look at her, a brow quirking up in question, "The Braus girl? I think Commander Shadis said until after dinner.." She responds, ears twitching when footfalls crunch against the dry ground.

"Sorry, I'm late." Cole announced, running a hand through his hair as he comes up beside Natalie, "What's the plan?" Freya loosed a hum, her attention swiveling to the tom, "We're about to head inside, but I wanted to talk about what happened during lineups earlier." Her words sound lazy, but they echo in Silas' ears.

The blonde stiffened, a trickle of embarrassment leaking down his spine. "I-..Freya, look..I froze up--"

"And I am not all that worried." Freya admits, looking back towards the girl running in the fields, "There were other people Commander Shadis is clearly more focused on, the girl out there being one of them." She observes simply, "The boy who saluted incorrectly seemed to anger him a lot more than you did."

"But I couldn't--I made a fool outta myself! How are you not upset with me right now?!" Silas demands, gawking when Freya turned to start walking towards the porch, "I never said that I wasn't upset, I'm just not angry." She responds easily,

"But I really shouldn't of done that!"

"Well, yeah." Freya stated, as if it were obvious, looking back slightly as she stepped up onto the porch, "But it's best not to dwell on it. So I advise that you don't. It was out of our control." 

Silas sighed heavily, lowering his head for a moment before looking right at a small group of teenagers perched on the porch. 

They were looking at the group of siblings curiously, some probably recognizing him as he passed. Taking a page from Freya's advice, he tried not to dwell on their looks as Cole reached past him to grab the door. The darker haired male flashed a friendly smile to the teens on the right, _charming_ , and Silas swears he sees the girl in the back of the group flush red.

Natalie seemed to notice too, and Silas tried his best to withhold his smile when the girl grabs Cole's sleeve and pulls, "C'mon Heartbreaker. She don't need you," Natalie chuckles when Cole scoffs, "'Heartbreaker'?" He echoes, "I am not a ' _Heartbreaker_ ', okay Natalie?"

The girl's smile turned knowing, and sly, "Uh-huh, sure..Tell that to the pretty black haired girl back in Ragako." She joked, getting an amused huff from Freya, "Didn't she follow you around like a starved kit, Cole?--" "Shut up, and get inside." Cole grumbled, glaring darkly at the brunette as she grins back sharply.

"S'like all the girls back in Trost, all over again." Natalie bemoans dramatically, drawling her words as she stepped closer to the door before Freya could. The tom grunted, "Yeah, sure.." He huffed, opening the door for her as she leads the way inside, "At least I don't play hard to get." He flinches back when Natalie whirls back to snap at him.

They nipped at each other for a minute, Freya protesting their fight as they did, before Natalie retreated inside with Cole standing at the door waiting for the rest to get by. Freya was about to follow after her, but Silas wasn't finished with their original conversation yet.

Reaching out, his hand snagged the other's bicep; stopping Freya before she got too far, "Hold on." 

The girl stopped behind Natalie, pausing halfway through the threshold to look back at Silas, "You..You're brushing this off super easily, why?" "Why wouldn't !? It was just a stupid mistake." Freya made a weird face, "I have a feeling we'll be okay, you saw how the Commander reacted to the other cadets. So just try to pick your battles, and don't piss off the Commander anymore.."

"...So you're not mad?"

Freya let out a scoff-like chuckle, eyes rolling as she starts moving forward again, "No. Silas. I am not mad. Now, c'mon, let's get you something to eat."

\--

The mess hall was loud, and stuffy, and _once again_ tightly packed with bodies. A flood of conversation filled Freya's ears to the brim, it made them ache, and it made her scowl; it seems her fellow cadets had tendencies to be obnoxiously loud, while also being so painfully purposeless. 

Swallowing down the lump of distaste that built up within her throat, alongside whatever the hell the sludge that she was being served was, Freya ate in the company of her young patrol. 

They had found a table in the middle, a place dead center in all the activity, the only spot with enough chairs to hold their four. There were others with them, unfamiliar faces making friendly banter with strangers; their conversations sounded like childish gossip. And, to be fair, Freya wasn't very surprised to hear it; the cadets were young. There were faces she recognized, the young girl from the porch was one of them--though this time she was occupied by a short blonde haired boy-- they seemed to be getting on well together; not that Freya cared.

The boy with freckles dotting his cheeks was on a table in front of her, she could see his face as he talked animatedly, and he was sat with a boy she vaguely remembered being named 'Jean'. They looked like they hit it off together, already making friends and such. Freya tried not to stare, but human interactions could be so intriguing sometimes, it was a little hard not too..

"Is their food good?" Natalie questioned as she settled on the seat at Freya's front, blocking her view of Freckles, she had a plate of her own dinner--a small bowl of sludge, of stew, and a stale piece of bread. Freya took another bite, breaking her attention from crowd-watching, face impassive, "Yes." She responds simply, holding back a smile when Silas looks at her bewildered.

Natalie looks pleased, sitting a little straighter, as she scoops some of the stew onto her spoon before taking a bite out of it. She lets it settle on her tongue, before she recoils at the lack of flavor and warmth. How they couldn't bring themselves to even _heat_ their food, was a little crazy; but Freya knew better than to complain.

"Ah-.." Natalie sets her spoon back into her bowl, trying her damnedest to be polite, "Yeah..I'll stick with the bread." She dismisses, clearing her throat.

Freya lets out an amused breath, Silas' chuckles resounding in her ears, "Eat what you can, Natalie. We need to get used to this food." She encourages after a moment, amusement making her voice lighter, "This is what we'll be surviving off of for a while."

"This stuff tastes like shit." Cole complained, mercilessly, "No wonder everyone who works here acts so angry all the time. I'd be angry too, getting fed this crap.." Silas wheezed out slightly, his breathing turning into hiccups as he tried to stop himself from outright laughing, "You..You can't just say that, Cole.." He protests.

"Why not?" Cole questions, a small grin pulling at his lips when he sees Silas turning red, "What? I'm not wrong!"

Freya knew the boys were joking, Cole wouldn't of smiled had he been serious, so she tried not to butt into their fun; Starclan knows they deserved it after today. All precious moments were to be handled with upmost care now. Smiling fondly she looks back to Natalie, who had soldiered through half of her bowl of stew, and she surprisingly wasn't showing signs of stopping, but Freya found herself bristling with paranoia when the mess hall was suddenly plunged into silence.

There's a shift in the room, a quiet murmur that drawls through the crowd, and it's then that Freya takes notice of the gathering of cadets near one of the farther tables towards the door. Blinking curiously, Freya watches as a few cadets share unsure looks, she's confused as to why they surround that certain table--but all is made clear when the crowd parts for a moment to reveal a young man with a horrified look carved into his face.

Sensing the change, Silas calms himself as he follows Freya's stare towards the crowd; having been at the front lines for the most part during lineups he instantly recognized the boy, "Boy's from Shiganshina." He provided, leaning close to Freya's observant form, "Rare survivor, came with the little blonde--I can't remember the names.."

"He's got the whole room going haywire." Cole whispered with a curious sniff of the air, "S'makin' my damn head hurt." "Language." Natalie snaps, "He's probably overwhelmed." Freya hushed them both, minding the sour taste plaguing the air, as she watches the boy from the corner of her eye-- she doesn't trust the crowd he seemed to draw in, _it was strange_ , she supposed they were excited to see a survivor from the disaster two years ago.

" _Actually, titans aren't such a big deal."_

Silas choked on what food he had in his mouth, surprised at the voice that cut through the silence like a knife; he wasn't exactly prepared for something so _blatantly_ untrue. Titan's _were_ a very big deal, and were not _ever_ supposed to be treated as anything less than a dangerous predator. They weren't smart, but they were adaptable.

Freya watched him for a moment, observing this unnaturally confident behavior, before deeming him delusional and returning to her dinner. This boy smelled of fear and death, he had a whole load of stuff that looked to weigh his shoulder's down immensely. He was either talking out of his ass to get out of the spotlight, or he was suicidal and wanted to face a titan for a 'heroic' death.

What a brainless thought.

"Once we master the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear, they'll be no match for us!" He boasts, his voice unwavering.

Silas looked stunned as Natalie tuned into the boy's words, her eyebrows knitting together as she shares a confused look with Cole. All the while, Freya chewed cautiously on something that crunched in her stew; amber eyes shifting warily as she managed to swallow her mouthful, before dropping her spoon back into the sludge they called food. Perhaps the bread would settle her stomach..

"We finally have the chance to be soldiers!" The Shiganshina boy continues, "I'm going to join the Survey Corps, and exterminate them all!"

It was poor timing for Silas to take another bite of his food, for it instantly spurts onto the table as he lets out a choked laugh; it's unsightly, but he slaps a hand over his mouth before he can grab anymore attention. Cole chuckles lowly to himself, his eyes shifting towards the boy at the back, "Is this kid serious?" He questions, his chuckles turning mocking as Silas struggles to withhold his cackles. "This place is _wild_.."

Natalie, bless her heart, tried her hardest to tamper her smile as she passed a napkin to Silas; trying to help as he grasped painfully at his nose. "You shouldn't mock him, Cole." She scolds, "It's incredibly rude of you to douse his dreams. What if that were you?"

"I'd ask you to slap some sense into me!" Cole retorts defensively, "Are you hearing what he's saying?!"

"It's still rude, it's not your place to have a say in anything he does." Natalie tsks looking towards her leader who was carefully chewing on a piece of bread, she looked lost in thought, "Right Freya?"

Freya snapped back at her name being uttered, "I'm sorry?"

_"Dude, are you nuts?!"_

The demand of a male is what cut off Natalie's next word, and the monologue of the Shiganshina boy; and from her spot on the corner chair, Freya could see a taller boy tilting his head in his palm as he addressed the new attention on him. She remembered him, the boy sat next to the one with Freckles; Jean, she thinks was his name. He was loud, Freya deemed as she tried to focus back into the lost conversation with Natalie.

But turns out, Jean had her attention as well.

"Did you just say that you _want_ to join the Survey corps?" Jean inquires, sounding borderline amazed and stupefied at the same time.

The Shiganshina boy's answer was immediate, and Freya did not fail to hear the challenge it produced from the undertones, "Damn straight." He confirmed, "And you're planning on joining the MP's right? Taking the easy road?" Freya makes the note that the boy was easy to aggravate, and she writes him off as someone to stay away from by that trait alone-- _she already had Cole, after all._

"What can I say? I like being honest." Jean responds easily, "I think it's better than acting all tough, like you are, even though you're actually scared shitless." There was a laugh that bubbled within Freya's throat, something she stifled down to an amused huff; Jean was her type of person, perhaps he would be good to befriend-- give her a break from her patrol, every now and then with some down to earth conversation--

The scrape of a chair being pushed back is loud in Freya's ears, it breaks her train of thought; and she turns just in time to see the other boy standing, and glaring, in Jean's direction. "You got something you want to say?"

At this point, Jean is on his feet too, "Oh? I wasn't really-"

He's stopped by the ring of bell, it dull ringing signifies that dinner has been called to an end and that everyone should head in for the night. Silas and Cole had already gotten up, grabbing both Freya and Natalie's plates along with their own as they head to the dumping bin; Natalie is the only one to thank them.

She watches as Jean takes a second to collect himself, before he smiles at the other boy, "That's on me." He apologizes, offering his hand peacefully, "I wasn't trying to judge how you think. Let's call it there, and move on, yeah?"

The other boy seems to relax a little, but there are traces of agitation still in his movements and voice, "Yeah, same here. Guess I overreacted." He reaches out and hits Jean's hand with his own, not committing to the handshake, as he leaves the mess hall.

Everyone watches him go quietly, but Freya sees one body get up to move after him. It's a girl, Freya doesn't know who she is, but from the looks of it she was in a hurry to catch up. 

Freya makes the call to drop it there, sitting back and taking the interaction in as the mess hall slowly packs itself up. 

_Cole was right, this place was wild.._

That had been an experience to watch, that was for sure. This wasn't the first time she's seen infighting between two humans--no, she's seen plenty of people going for each other's throats for food, this wasn't new at all. Freya was just surprised that it happened _here_ of all places; she honestly just assumed that the Military had contingencies for things like that--or that the cadets knew better than to act like fools.

Freya guessed she assumed wrong.

Taking a breath, Freya allowed the happenings of today to sink in and fizzle away. She briefly wondered if the argument between the two boys would go anywhere further, or if it would stay confined to this day, she had a feeling that it would flourish into something resembling a rivalry; if so, that could be potential entertainment for duller days--

"Oi, Freya." Natalie called, as she got to her feet "Hurry up, lights go out soon." 

Scorched eyes pull away from Jean's still form, and Freya pushes herself to her feet; ready to get back to the barracks for some much needed rest.

It doesn't matter, what happened today, not anymore at least. 

_They just had to take the days in stride, and survive._

**Author's Note:**

> That is the end of chapter 1!
> 
> This was the two first chapters combined into one.
> 
> I wanted to add that in the beginning in upcoming chapters I will be adding a summary of the previous one so that people don't have to reread the chapter before, if they don't want to.
> 
> But uh yeah, tell me what you guys think--  
> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
